For the Sake of a World Without Lies
by Fangking2
Summary: A world without lies...That is a good world to fight for. This is the continuation of a tale...of a man who died for such a world. Oh, by the way. This hero proved himself before his death to be...Not such a bad guy after all.
1. Chapter 1

**This is one of my favorite Ideas. I never posted it as a challenge because I am going to do it myself! I have finally gotten my will to throw this fic in. I don't intent to stop my other two active fic. So you can expect updates on them sometimes soon…Honestly it is up to my beta readers. I am a kind of person who over achieves early to give beta their times.**

**Enjoy and review as this humble Fangking2 brig you all another never used before IDEA!**

**Also for those who disagree with mixing FSN with the Big Three(Naruto, Bleach, One Piece.)…Gave my fic a chance.**

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><p>Fate Stay Night: For the Sake of World Without a Lie.<p>

Ch 1 Kirigakure no Kajiu…Godaime Saber!

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><p>Sometimes, in life something that seems impossible happens…even if that something makes no sense and it should not be so, as it happens because of chance or luck. For example if a boy flips a coin and gets heads, in his reality he had gotten heads, but in a reality next to his he had gotten tails instead. However, the reality next to him says that the boy had gotten heads, but lost the coin; in another one he flipped tails, but never found out as his brother snatched it away in mid-air…such is chance and the way of infinite realities.<p>

The Old Man of the Jewels, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, master of the Second magic, the Kaleidoscope himself, is only one that knows the limit or the true secret of the many and infinite realities. Only he might know of all the realties.

This world is one such world.

For example, the chance of Emiya Shirou summoning Servant Saber, the renowned Arturia Pendragon, after having the Noble Phantasm known as Avalon stuck inside of his chest is very high. The chance of him summoning Assassin is one out of a thousand, and the chance of Arturia being summoned as Berserker before Illya summoned Herakles is very low as well.

So the near impossible chance of Shirou summoning a different hero besides Arturia while not having gone through the procedure to summon a specific Servant is low…while the chance of Shirou summoning a Servant not even from his world's history is even lower…and the chance of Shirou summoning a hero that has nothing to with his wish and will is even lower than that.

So while the chance of Shirou summoning someone falling under those conditions is like one out of billion, it could happen. What if it DID happen? Whether by sheer luck or author's divine will…it occurred.

Will the world break into two?

Will the sea spilt and heaven fall?

Will the world be at peace or an all-out nuke war?

Or perhaps…the story will go on, for…SUCH IS YOUTH!

That is right! If the impossible that has no chance of occurring occurs than it is simply the result!

If that is the case then life will go on.

If Shirou summons a different Servant even if the rules and regulations dictate otherwise, the show must go on if the chou is chou and han is han! Even is even and odd is odd.

So readers…What will happen if this happens? With a hero that is not Arturia, will Shirou fall?

Like HELL!

Life is just another drama! It will go on with a new cast and rise to heaven!

This tale of an impossible event that is illogical and impossible to the point of not making sense in how it happens and how it will affect the life of a young magus who dreams of being a hero of justice.

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><p>Emiya Shirou didn't know what was happening. It was a normal, average day for him, but that all changed when he stayed behind to fix the archery club's equipment. On his way back he saw something incredible.<p>

Two men, one in red, another in blue, fighting using sword and spear.

The one in red was a white haired, tan skinned man who wore a red shroud of some kind and form fitting black armor beneath it. The red shroud seemed to flow a cape as well, and it was in two parts that covered the shoulders with one part while the second was secured at the waist, wrapping around most of his waist and coming to about midway down his shins. He also wore heavy black pants with armored boots on his feet. His expression was serious but confident.

The second figure was dressed in deep blue form-fitting armor trimmed with silver tracing along his legs and waist, while interlocking silver plates were placed over the shoulders and around his neck in a collar. His body was completely covered save for the hands and head. His long, dark blue hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and his blood red eyes were leaking murderous intent. Despite that, the attacker's face was set in an almost chipper smile, and his tone was remarkably friendly.

"Is that all you got Archer? Why don't you bring out your bow, instead of fighting like a knight?" The red knight sneered at him. "If you can even force me to fight seriously, then maybe I will reconsider."

Their fight was epic. The way they carried themselves and wielded their weapons was beyond the world of normal people. Shirou's golden eyes were wide with awe as he tried to take in all of the majesty of what he was seeing. Their swings were something like works of art as they continued their deadly dance.

Of course, the dance soon came to an end when Shirou made the mistake of nudging a can lying on the ground, the noise being enough to alert the two to their audience. Of course, Shirou did what could be considered the most sensible thing to do in such an instance: he ran.

He guessed it wasn't something they wanted others to see, because that spearing wielding maniac actually chased him down and impaled him through the chest!

For some reason he is still alive though.

Too bad it wasn't actually a nightmare, like he thought when he woke up, because the same blue spear user showed up and tried to kill him again! In his own house!

Whatever resistance he put up was useless, and he was kicked into his shed. The place was a mess now, but it didn't matter as the spear guy was walking toward where he had fallen.

"Well kid, this is it. You had a nice run and you could have been the 7th. Oh well…not a big problem for me. So…see ya." said the red lancer as he pulled his lance back for a power thrust to kill the red haired boy.

'GOD DAMN IT! WHY AM I SO USELESS?...Sorry dad, guess I'm no hero after all, huh?"

Suddenly the ground started to shine and a bright light filled the room. From the blazing light he saw a set of runes etch themselves onto the floor, blazing with glory as if someone threw a flash bang into the room.

"What the?" the blue man muttered as powerful mana flared along the runes.

"Oh no, not this late in the game!"

The red lance in his hand turned into a blur as it was aimed at the glowing light, however…

VOOOSH!

"KLANG!"

"WHAT THE HELL!"

The spearman was knocked aside by a large black blur and was sent flying out of the shed. The newly arrived figure was covered in shadow, but he slowly walked toward the light to reveal his face to Shirou.

"Konbanwa(Good Evening). Are you the one who summoned me?" The figure's face was still in the darkness as he spoke, but his clothing and body was visible. By the voice it was a definite male and the figure was wearing a large black cloak with red clouds on the front and around it. The cloak was imposing and it had a very high collar that covered the lower half of the figure's face, effectively hiding his mouth in shadow. He was a tall figure and had an imposing aura around him.

"This is a fine meeting…I have heard your summoning and arrived here as requested. I have been given the title of Saber for the duration of this war."

The man stepped forward to reveal his…blue? He had a pale blue skin tone with gill-like markings by his eyes. He had beady white eyes with black pupils, but though they were small, they had a sharp glare to them. His teeth, which were visible as he unbuttoned the top of his cloak, were triangular and sharp, shark's teeth which were bared in a grin. His hair was dull blue, short, with a shark fin-like shape that stretched into the air.

On his head was a something like a head band, but it had a metal plate with 4 curvy marks and one horizontal slash mark through the middle. The headband's cloth went around his head and even covered his ears. On his large cloak there was a strap that was revealed to be a holster for a large object attached to his back. Whatever it was the object was covered by bandages, but had a long handle of a dull golden color, with a small skull on the pommel.

"While the Grail informed me of all the rules, the situation, and the requirements…I am person that follows a different set of rules…so I will introduce myself properly… (The man smiled with his shark-like teeth.) My name is Hoshigaki Kisame…please to make your acquaintance…Master."

"…What?" muttered Shirou as he looked at the blue skinned man. Shirou was speechless as he stared at the man whose very presence spoke of an incredible amount of power. His aura was like that of a large predator staring at its prey.

"Well…it seems you are confused Master…Well, regardless, we must deal with the situation at hand first, I'll take care of the spearman." said Kisame as he walked out of the shed.

When he went outside he was greeted with the sight of a man in blue armor wielding a deadly looking red lance.

"Kisama! Who the hell are you!" asked the lancer as he twirled his weapon over his head.

"Maa, maa…You sure are a noisy one aren't you…I believe it is only good manners to introduce yourself before asking for another's name, no?" said the larger man in a mocking tone.

"Hmmmph! I am the Lancer of this Holy Grail War! And you are?"

The shark-like man shook his head side to side in disappointment.

"I asked for your name, not your title. You shouldn't be so rude Lancer...…how about this? Allow me to introduce myself…"

The large man stepped forward with no fear, but instead anticipation for the coming fight. When he was summoned he was given vast knowledge of how he was summoned and what for. He knows that this was not the Elemental Nations nor anywhere near them. He was in an alternate world to fight the finest of said worlds past…oh, this war will be fascinating.

"I am the Saber of this Holy Grail War…and my name is Hoshigaki Kisame, _Kirigakure no Kaij__n(_霧隠れの怪人(Monster of the Hidden Mist)). Yoroshiku."

Lancer eyes widened at the Saber's bold move. In the Holy Grail War, a Servant's true identity is one's greatest secret. Knowing and not knowing it, the difference between can change the outcome of the entire war. To reveal one's name so casually is…unthinkable.

For Lancer, who values his honor, to not answer is to shame himself.

"Hoshigaki…Kisame ….a monster huh? Good name! In return I'll tell you mine! I am Cú Chulainn the Hound of Ulster!"

Kisame chuckled.

"That is good to know, however because of the circumstances, I do not know about your legend…just as you know nothing of mine…that is fine though. We are warriors, so let us allow… (He pulled the handle on his back to bring forth a bandage covered …something)…our weapons to speak for us."

Lancer's grin was about to spilt his face as he twirled his lance around. "That's a great idea! Here I come!" yelled Lancer as he sailed forward with blinding speed, clashing against Saber in a weapon lock, but it was soon clear that the larger Servant had a definite advantage in brute strength.

With a single slash, Saber sent Lancer sailing away into the air.

"Naka naka li~n ja nai-desu ne (Not bad)" praised Kisame as he held his large weapon with one hand.

"But you can do better, right?"

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><p>Shirou walked out of the shed to see a sight as impossible as the one he had witnessed back at his school several hours ago.<p>

Clank! Clank! Voosh! Roll!

Clank! Kang! Sheenngg! ("HAHH!") Clank! Duck! Parry! Block!

Swoosh! Voosh! Clank! Clank! Clank!

He watched the giant shark-like man who saved him clashing and exchanging blows with the blue armored spearman. Their physical feats were incredible as they jumped into the air and moved at speeds that were too fast to track.

Swoosh! Voosh! Clank! Clank! Clank! (Dahh!) Clank!

The shark-like man who saved him didn't seem to be as fast as the other guy, but he was surprisingly quick when reacting to the spear guy's attacks.

Clank!

His bandaged weapon, huge and heavy looking thing that it was, and judging by the way he had called himself Saber, likely a sword of some sort, was being swung with one arm at an amazing speed.

Voosh!

He watched as Saber…the man who introduced himself as Hoshigaki Kisame, smacked away the lance guy's attack and went in for the kill, but the smaller man flipped away with acrobatic grace that seemed entirely inhuman.

"These guys…they're not human." muttered Shirou as he gazed on, bearing witness to the duel between the Hound of Ulster and the Monster of the Hidden Mist, Lancer vs. Saber, a national hero vs. a traitorous nuke-nin, Hero vs Villain.

The sound of weapons clashing and ringing metal echoed throughout the night sky.

"Dahhh!"

"HAHHHHHH!"

Clank! Voosh! Clank! Clank! Parry! Dodge! Duck! Clank! Clank! Clank!

Kisame jumped after the Hound of Ulster as he swung his giant, bandage wrapped sword in a powerful overhead strike. Lancer used the shaft of his lance to block the enormous strike, but he felt his arms about to snap from the sheer force behind the blow.

'This guy, is he actually a fuck'n Berserker? This kind of power is crazy, even for a Saber!' thought Lancer as he slid back to reduce the force of the blow, but the bone shattering attack still rattled him. Lancer took a low stance as he thrust at Saber's head with his cursed lance. His arms blurred as he rapidly stabbed at the shark man's head, but Kisame smirked as he swayed to and fro, dodging all the strikes.

Kisame returned fired with his massive sword, but Lancers are the 'Most Agile' Servant for a reason. Lancer managed to dodge the swing and swung his lance to smack the haft at Kisame's head, however Kisame lifted his unused arm to block the blow.

"HHHAHHH!" roared Kisame as he thrust his bandaged sword at Lancer's head in return, but Lancer used his acrobatic skill to plant his feet on the tip of the odd sword and jumped off the attack.

Lancer rolled back up and got into a stance.

"This is interesting! However! Saber-no! Hoshigaki Kisame! Why do you hide your sword behind those bandages? Show me your Noble Phantasm!"

"My Noble Phantasm huh….? So you would like to meet him?" grinned Kisame as he flared his power. The infamous _O o Motanai Bijū__(_ Biju without a Tail) flared his impressive chakra/prana level as he flaunted his power.

"How 'bout it Samehada, are you ready?"

"! (I am hungry; Kisame, let me eat soon.)"

Kisame smirked in response.

Oh how delicious this meal would be…after all, a Servant is a mass of energy given form.

He charged forward with his sword in one hand. He jumped up to swing it down at Lancer, who raised his lance diagonally to block the attack. Lancer used his impressive power as one of the Three Knight Classes to resist the blow, but it was clear who was stronger.

Kisame grinned widely with his saw toothed teeth as he strengthened his left arm, forcing his weapon to get closer to Lancer's shoulder. Lancer was using both of his arms to hold the bandaged weapon back, but Kisame was forcing it down with just his left arm.

"Hee hee hee…it seems you are strong Lancer…let me tell you a secret. My Noble Phantasm, Samehada(Shark Skin) is an awkward sword. You see, my Samehada does not cut…"

Kisame pushed harder and made the giant sword touch Lancer's shoulder. Kisame's grin widened as the tip of his sword burst out and ripped through the bandages. At that moment Kisame pulled his sword back and the revealed sharkskin sword shaved Lancer's shoulder.

"…It shaves."

Lancer didn't make a single sound as the shark skin sword shaved the meat off of his shoulder, going straight through the armor. A fresh flow of blood spilled from wound, staining part of his chest a dark red. Lancer's eyes narrowed as he jumped back, one hand on his shoulder.

If it wasn't for his battle high, he would have realized his prana reserve had decreased. He was so focused on the battle, so excited by the challenge before him and flaring prana in answer to the adrenaline pumping through him, the loss went unnoticed.

_"How is the taste?"_ asked Kisame through his mental connection.

_"Gigigigigig (Pretty good.)"_

"That is one strange ass sword. So it does not cut, but shaves huh…" said Lancer as he grinned. "In light of my respect for you…let me return the favor, and show you something good."

Lancer bent low and pointed his lance's tip at the floor, a steady flow of prana filling his lance. The red lance screamed of death as its special property activated. This is his signature stance, an absolute killing blow. There is no way Saber can live through his Noble Phantasm.

The crimson spear glowed an evil red color, vibrating slightly. The very wind surrounding the spear was dark and malicious as the curse of death swirled around it.

Lancer's confidence and morale was higher than the heavens as he was ready to unleash his greatest Noble Phantasm.

Kisame watched, fascinated, as he saw the enemy Servant unleashing his Noble Phantasm.

"Oh? Kore ga Hougu-desuka?(So this is a Noble Phantasm?) That is fine…show it to me." Said Kisame as his smirk widened.

Oh, he can feel it alright. The very surface of his blue skin can feel the near visible aura of death rolling off of Lancer's spear.

"Whatever it is…it matters not." thought Kisame as he readied himself.

"That HEART! I'll be taking it!" roared out Lancer as he jumped into the air and swung down with his lance. Kisame blocked the attack, but Lancer flipped through the air and landed behind Kisame. He then spun around and thrust low at Kisame.

"GAE!"

Kisame's instinct flared as he swung and smashed his Samehada against Lancer's cursed lance.

"BOLG!" declared Lancer, as he expected his lance to go against all the logic in the world and bend space and time to its will. He expected to see the tip of his red lance fly into the air and pierce through Saber's heart! But…nothing happened.

Gae Bolg…The Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death (刺し穿つ死棘の槍), also translated as Spear of Impaling Barbed Death,is an attack focused on a single target. It was created by Lancer to suit his own style, striking with a fatal blow that always pierces the opponent's heart and ruins their body from within with its thousand iron thorns.

Gae Bolg is a cursed spear that was obtained from Scathach in the Country of Shadows byCu Chulainn.

It is a glorious weapon given to only the most gifted of warriors, and it was not utilized once after he left the Land of Shadows until his fight with his close friend,Ferdiad. He later used it again on his son,Connla. It is Cu Chulainn's, the Lancer of the 5th Holy Grail War's, most powerful attack and weapon. A skill he only uses when he is cornered or facing a worthy opponent that requires its absolute kill ability.

The spear literally freezes the prana in the air, and it can easily be perceived as a sure-kill technique by all those around it simply from being charged with prana.

Once Gáe Bolg's name has been called, the cursed spear reverses the nature of causality to make it so that the cause of the "lance being thrust" comes from the effect of the "opponent's heart being pierced". The actual action of the thrust is nothing but a formality, as the lance has already pierced the opponent's heart before the attack has even started.

So…what happened next…

What happened next left Lancer speechless.

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><p>"What?" muttered out Lancer with his eyes widening and mouth gaping wide.<p>

In front of him…the impossible happened.

"What is it? Were you expecting something?" said Kisame with a cruel grin.

Lancer was too shocked by the event to defend himself as Kisame pulled his fist back and punched Lancer in the face with all the power he had as the so called **_Kirigakure no Kaijin_****_ (_**Monster of the Hidden Mist). Lancer's head was snapped back from the rock shattering blow, but being a Heroic Spirit, Lancer's head did not tear off, nor his neck snap. He sailed clear through the air from the force behind the knockout punch, smashing into the ground and leaving a large crater.

"Heeheehee…that was an interesting trick Lancer. Samehada appreciated it very much."

"Na—Nani?" groaned out Lancer as he picked himself up from the ground.

"Allow me to explain it to you…my Samehada is one of Kiri's Seven Treasure Swords, named Great Blade Samehada. One of its most powerful properties is to devour energy. Just by being near it, it has the power to drain you of your prana."

Kisame raised his sword to eye-level.

"The moment you activated your Noble Phantasm's ability, I sensed something very dangerous from it…my Samehada felt it too, and it told me that it wanted to eat the delicious store of prana you filled your spear up with, so I let him do it…"

Kisame stepped forward with his sword leaning against his shoulder.

"The moment my Samehada touched you're so called…Gae Bolg; it drained it of all its power, so even if you call upon it to use whatever trick it can do, it has no prana to activate. Like any worthwhile ability in this world or the next, it requires energy to perform it…and by depriving it of energy, your Noble Phantasm has no power to use its special property. That is all…nothing more…nothing less."

Lancer slowly got up and raised his lance. He could feel his body suddenly becoming very heavy. The moment Saber drained his lance of prana, he also absorbed an insane amount of prana from him. His cheap ass master was calling him back too, so this enjoyable fight will have one boring ass conclusion.

"Ha…ha…puff…huff…You know what Hoshigaki? I need to return now that you blocked my Noble Phantasm. Don't get me wrong, I can still kick your ass, but my cheap ass coward of a master is demanding that I come back. So how about making this a draw?"

"Ho, it seems you have an unsatisfying partnership…how unfortunate." He leveled his sword at Lancer. "You are bleeding," he glanced at Lancer's wounded shoulder, "As a shark how can I let you go?"

Kisame used his impressive speed as a shinobi and charged at Lancer. Lancer in return charged forward as well, thrusting Gae Bolg at Saber. The two exchanged a single blow to settle the fight and passed by each other.

Kisame's grin widened as a thin, long cut appeared along the side of his cheek, a small bit of blood leaking from it.

Lancer, on the other hand, smirked when he spotted no injuries from the last exchange. His blow was the faster and he managed to duck under the swing.

"Ugh!"

He felt even more empty than before as his prana reserve was drained by at least 75%…including the energy he used all day and against Archer, he barely had 10% left, and that damned priest was still being stingy about it.

"I'll…I'll be back, Hoshigaki Kisame…I promise you that." said Lancer as he gripped his lance tighter and jumped away, leaving his new found enemy behind.

Kisame grinned as he wiped off the blood on his cheek. He slowly turned to Shirou.

"So my master, what do you think? Don't you believe you picked the best Servant to win the war?"

"What, wait, what was that all about! I don't understand at all!"

"Oh? So you didn't summon me on purpose huh? That makes sense, since I was not from the past of this world."

"Huh?"

"Let me explain about this war from what knowledge I was given. This war is called the Holy Grail War, a war to attain the Holy Grail."

"The what?"

"I don't care for the magical mumbo jumbo, but the fact is, you magi have summoned seven heroes, like myself, from the past to fight for you. Whether you did this on purpose matters not…you are in it now, so that is that." Kisame faced Shirou before pointing at himself.

"I for example was summoned as one of the Saber class. By the rules and regulations, my name is to be secret and you must address me as Saber, but it doesn't suit me. You should just call me Kisame, Master."

"Uuuh…I still don't get what is going on, but can you stop calling me that? Please call me by my name."

"And your name is?"

"Emiya, Emiya Shirou."

"Emiya Shirou…huh…that too is a great name. Very well Shirou-san, from now on address me as Kisame."

Shirou nodded to the larger man, but his mind shifted gears as a sharp spike of pain jolted through his left hand, as though someone applied a branding iron with the lovely addition of a razors edge, and a glowing design came into being upon the back of his left hand. "What the hell… is this?"

"Ohooo? Those would be your Command Spells, Shirou-san. So long as you have them, you have my absolute obedience three times. Do not be reckless with them," Kisame answered with the knowledge he was given prior to his summoning. Before Shirou could ask for more details, Kisame's demeanor shifted, and he turned his gaze towards the north wall of the Emiya compound, smirking.

"Shirou-san, it seems we have company approaching us…by the prana level Samehada is sensing, it is a Servant and their Master."

"Huh?"

"It seems their destination is here…hmm, no point in letting them make the first move, neh?"

Kisame put his sword on his back and his hands made several strange symbols at a rapid pace. Shirou raised his brows in confusion as he had never seen such a thing before. Kisame's hands stopped on one seal and held it up.

"Doton: Dochū Senkō(Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage)!" declared Kisame as the ground beneath them quickly turned fluid and they started to sink underneath it. Kisame was calm as his feet became submerged under the ground. Shirou, on the other hand, was not so calm.

"W-WHAT!" exclaimed Shirou as Kisame grabbed his shoulder.

"Just a warning for first timers…take a deep breath." said Kisame with an amused gin.

Before Shirou could yell out he was drowned in the 'liquid ground' along with Kisame.

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><p>Rin was running toward Emiya's home with her Archer behind her.<p>

'Damn it, I hope we aren't too late!'

"I am telling you Master, your bleeding heart will get you killed one day." said her black and red clad hero as he silently ran beside his master.

"SHUT UP!"

If Lancer was going to finish the job of killing Emiya-kun, then he will strike sometime tonight. She could only hope that she was not too late to help that generous boy.

Suddenly Archer was in front of her, facing forward.

"Archer what are you-"

"Move back!"

From the other side of the street, out of nowhere a white… something popped out of the ground and came at them with blinding speed. At first glance, it resembled a shark's dorsal fin, chasing them as if the ground was water.

The white fin aimed for Rin, but her Servant raised his twin swords and blocked it for her. However what Archer didn't expect was that the white shark fin-like object attacking him packed enough force to knock him off his feet and nearly smashed him into a wall!

The white fin submerged soon after and this time came back out from behind Rin's blind spot as it went for her.

The sharp eyes of an Archer showed why they are not to be underestimated as Archer jumped into the air and grabbed Rin to avoid the attack, but this time the shark fin sped up to chase after them, still moving at that breakneck speed.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" That was true, because Archer doesn't remember this being part of his plan. He was sure Saber was supposed to ambush him here, not some shark!

Suddenly, while they were still in mid-air, the part of the ground they were about to land on broke apart, revealing the same white dorsal fin that has been harassing them and a… shark man? The black cloak wearing swordsman smirked as he swung his Samehada at the pair and watched as Archer traced a number of swords in the air between him and his airborne master to counter the swing.

Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

Archer's eyes widened in disbelief as all the nameless swords were broken into pieces by a single blow, and that very same blow came down on his head.

"Ugghh!" let out Archer as he used his body to shield Rin, before he was smacked aside by the semi -bandaged sword. The force of the blow sent the Servant of the Bow skipping across the street.

"Hee hee hee…you are not as good as the other, lance-using fellow are you?" asked Kisame as he faced them. Kisame pulled himself completely out of his Doton: Dochū Senkō(Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage) and the ground hardened as the effect of the jutsu faded.

Kisame swung his sword in front of him in a practiced manner as he stared at the red clad Servant.

"Please at least keep up, this war was supposed to bring me some interesting people to fight."

Archer got to his feet immediately and held his twin swords up.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Saber of this war…pleased to meet you." said Kisame as he dashed forward and clashed against the twin swords. Kisame felt the level of resistance and realized this Servant's strength was less than that of Lancer by a few steps…his strength lies elsewhere.

"How disappointing." commented Kisame as he pushed Archer away. He stepped in for a body blow, until Rin got her gems out.

"Oh no you don't!" she shouted as she fired a high grade gem at the attacker, at this monster movie nightmare.

Kisame saw the highly concentrated prana bomb heading his way and smirked. He knocked the gem aside with his sword in a lazy swing, breaking the jewel into pieces.

"What?"

"Gochisosama-deshita ("Thank you for the meal")" Kisame said as he turned back to smash Archer's twin swords into pieces yet again. He then moved forward and, like with Lancer, smashed him in the face with a fist, sending him flying down the street.

"Allow me to return the favor for the delicious meal Ojou-chan" Kisame said, turning towards her as he went through some hand seals.

"Suiton: Mizurappa(Water Release: Wild Water Wave)!" declared Kisame as he spewed forth a raging torrent of water from his mouth at the twin pigtailed girl. The raging water wave hit her and knocked her across the street and into the wall surrounding his Master's home.

"Mada made-deshu" said Kisame as he went through more hand seals.

"HHAHHH!" roared out a voice behind him as Archer managed to get right behind his blind spot with his swords ready. As quickly as the red-clad Servant closed the distance, the giant of a swordsman would have no time to pick up his sword to block or even turn around to defend himself with his arms.

However…

"Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)!" declared Kisame without even turning around as he blew out a vast amount of water to make a defensive wall around him. The sudden water wall smashed against Archer and pushed him away into the air.

"You still lack training-deshu." commented Kisame as he finished another chain of hand seals.

"Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique)!" shouted Kisame as he thrust his hand at Archer. He watched as the very water that made up his Suijinheki twisted further and formed itself into a large water shark, which charged Archer at high speed.

"NANI!" exclaimed Archer as he used his twin swords to stop the shark from biting into him.

"Hmmm…I was sure I broke those toothpicks he uses as swords…oh well." commented Kisame as the water shark rose higher and suddenly charged toward the ground, plowing Archer into the ground instead of eating him.

"Uuugghhahh!" yelled out Archer in pain as the high level water jutsu got him good.

"ARCHER!" yelled out Rin as she ran toward him, but she accidently stepped in a puddle of leftover water. Kisame noticed and his eyes widened.

"Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique)" he called out triumphantly as Rin was trapped in a large sphere of water as hard as steel and thick like tree sap.

"What is this?"

"Don't bother Ojou-chan. That water prison is harder than steel and the water inside makes it feel is like swimming in thick tree sap. There is nothing you can do but wait as I absorb some more of your prana." said Kisame as he drained her prana.

"STOP!" yelled Archer as he dashed toward Kisame, but Kisame used his large sword to block his attack.

"You sure are a hasty guy…should I beat you up some more?" But before Kisame can tear Archer into pieces a voice called out.

"KISAME-SAN! MATTE!" Kisame knocked Archer away and turned to his master.

Said master was slowly getting out of the crater hole that Kisame came out of to ambush Rin and Archer in the beginning of the encounter. The young magus was too shaken up because of the Doton: Dochū Senkō(Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage) to move then, and now was finally able to shake himself out of his shock to move.

"Eh…doh…Shirou-san? In a war it is only natural to kill one's enemy-deshu. To not kill an enemy that you have painstakingly dealt with is foolish."

"Kisame-san! Right now I am still confused about this whole war thing and what is going on! If anything I refuse to let you kill people for no reason!"

"They are an enemy Master and her Servant. They are an enemy, and that is more than a good enough reason to kill them."

"I am still not sure who my enemy is Kisame-san! At least capture them to gather information!"

At that word Kisame's brow raised. Information…to gather it to protect themselves…oh how he spent his years as a Kiri-nin dealing with that. How many lives of enemies and allies alike had he taken for such?

'Oh this is a fine irony.' thought Kisame as he nodded.

"Oh very well…I'll let them live." Said Kisame as he released his water prison…he got his fill of prana anyway.

Rin coughed as she was let out of the water prison. Shirou approached her to help her up, but Archer got there first.

"Rin?"

"I-I am fine Archer, just drained."

Rin steadied herself and looked at her savior and her attacker, who appeared to be a team.

Shirou looked closer at the pair and noticed something about them.

"AH! THAT RED SWORD GUY! AND TOHSAKA?"

Rin let out a smug grin.

"Good evening Emiya-kun. Is this how you treat a guest?"

"A guest? Tohsaka, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Wow, Emiya-kun, not even a 'Good evening'?"

"While the witty banter is cute Ojou-chan, my Master would like to probe you for information."

"Ara? Is the noble class of Saber always this rude? Where are your manners?"

"No such thing for a Shinobi I'm afraid, but if you need motivation, I could just cut off your legs to keep you here." answered Kisame in an amused tone. Rin backed off after that.

"Kisame-san." warned Shirou in a scolding tone.

Shirou turned to Rin.

"Right now I have tons of things I want to ask you, but first things first…would you like to come in? You're…drenched." said Shirou as he avoided looking at her wet, form fitting clothes, done in the same colors as those of her Servant.

Rin noticed the state her clothes were in and blushed, but at seeing Shirou's blushing face she smiled and regained her confidence.

"Why I thought you would never ask" replied the Master of Archer as she nodded and allowed Shirou to lead her into his home.

"Ara ara, it seems I am fated to have such level headed and proper partners" said Kisame as he remembered his last partner. Before he followed behind them he glanced at Archer and gave him a warning glare.

Archer nodded and put his hands down.

'This ain't no Saber…what happened here? Who is this 'Kisame' and what happened to Arturia?'  
>This is starting be a real pain in his ass.<p>

The War just started and it already gotten complicated.

* * *

><p><strong>How do you all think? This time I am doing a Naruto x FSN in FSN world. I think I can fix the blunder I made on my first fic…The Thy Chain in My Hand.<strong>

**This fic has high expectation form yours truly.**

**This is going to be so much fun.**

**Please review and tell me how you think**.


	2. Chapter 2

**Major love and thanks to ****EVA-Saiyajin****-kun for the beta and added extra parts. He is and will continue to be a major help to improve this fic. Everyone say THANK YOU EVA-CHAN!**

**Now that is over with, man oh man, this chapter took a lot of effort. So I hope you all will enjoy this. The first chapter got me over 20 reviews at once! I am so happy! Please review your thought and have nice day!**

Ch2 Monster of the Mist vs Monster of the Greeks.

Shirou stared in awe as Tohsaka Rin, the school idol, dabbed a drop of her blood on a piece of broken glass from his house's windows and used her magecraft to fix the damage .

"Well that's the last of it…But I am sure you would have fixed it on your own, right Emiya-kun?"

"Uh…Actually I can only use projection and reinforcement…I am an amateur with magecraft." Shirou answered in all his flawed honesty.

"Huh? Are you serious? So you can't use any modern magecraft or any of the 5 elements?" asked Rin in disbelief.

"I am afraid not." Shirou chuckled while rubbing the back of his head.

"And somehow a complete amateur managed to summon a Saber Class Servant and joined the Grail War…So you are one of those abnormalities in the war…A Master that does not qualify, but is selected by the grail to fill the open spots." Rin pondered as she rubbed her chin.

She turned her eyes to the blue skinned man sitting by the table with a cup of tea and a plate full of dangos. He was chewing on the vegetable and the sea food fixed flavored ones as he downed it with a cup of tea.

This Servant seems nothing like any Saber she has imagined. He is a powerful swordsman alright, and completely overwhelmed Archer who had displayed a great deal of melee skill against Lancer…It clearly shows why in terms of melee combat, Sabers are considered the finest of the finest.

However what confuses her is that this Saber seems nothing like any Saber she read about or any heroes for the matter. She studied for the war for years…She dug through her father's notes and books to fill her head with knowledge and facts to prepare herself as the Tohsaka Toushu(Head), but never has she read of a half shark, half man swordsman wearing a black cloak with red clouds…he even gave away his name, but she recalls no Hoshigaki Kisame in anything she read.

She considered that perhaps he was using a false name, but erased that thought. A Saber has nothing to fear; for they are honorable beings…Despite the fact the man had no trouble threatening to cut her legs off. He said he was a shinobi…Japan's historical assassins and spies…They are known for their secret service, so was it possible to have a ninja who was half aquatic? She was not sure and doubted it would clear soon.

"Well, regardless of your lack of skill and knowledge, you need to meet the supervisor of this war."

"A supervisor? There is a supervisor…for a war?"

"Yes! The supervisor is my old mentor and a priest in a Shinto church…I might as well as bring you there myself." Rin said as she walked toward the door. Shirou hesitantly followed her and Kisame stood up to trail behind them. But suddenly Rin turned to them.

"Hey! Why isn't Saber in his spirit form?"

Kisame chuckled lightly.

"Ahhh…It seems my contract with Shirou-san is rather…flawed and incomplete…While he has the Command Seal, it is not stable enough for me to enter spirit form." Kisame replied in an amused tone. "_Or perhaps because I am not even a part of this world's history…Well it doesn't matter for now."_ Thought Kisame.

"Huh? But wouldn't you waste a lot of prana being in physical state? I can see your stats, as a master and it is very impressive, but even with that…"

"I assure you Ojou-chan, I am rather full right now and Samehada had a good enough meal from our fight for me to last for very long time." Said Kisame, grin in place.

"Ah…I see…"

"Kisame-san, what does it mean?" asked Shirou, not in his element.

"Well…Heroic Spirits are as they are named, spirits. We are the souls of the dead given physical shape by the magus to fight for them. Normally summoning us is impossible for modern magus, but with this Holy Grail ritual, it is made possible. However, maintaining a Servant is still a difficult task even for a trained, competent Master and for you whose power is weak and unrefined, it is impossible for you to even properly give me energy to maintain form."

At those words Shirou felt crestfallen at the fact that his lack of skill was hindering Kisame. In a war of 7 pairs of powerful people and spirits, to be handicapped must be disastrous.

"Well, under normal circumstances any other Servant would fight with a considerable disadvantage, but not me."

"Huh?" said Rin and Shirou simultaneously.

"Do you know how else Servants can obtain prana?" asked Kisame.

Shirou shook his head while Rin nodded.

"A Servant can get extra power by feeding on human souls."

"Huh?"

Rin turned to Shirou with a frown at his lack of knowledge.

"As explained before, a Servant is a mass of energy given form. It is a spirit…As in something akin to a ghost. They can feed on souls of living beings to power themselves."

"And this war allows that?" exclaimed Shirou in disbelief and disgust.

"It is frowned upon, but it is allowed. This is a war between magi Emiya-kun, what did you expect? This is a ceremony that pools billions of man hours, effort, money, and knowledge. This is by all mean**s** an all-out war between 14 individuals."

Shirou nearly blared out what he thought about it, but managed to control himself. Thankfully Kisame continued on.

"Correct Ojou-chan, in a war that is completely allowed. In a way if you complain it shows your foolishness and lack of resolve. If you die than all that crap about fairness means nothing after all…But I don't even need to rely on soul feeding to acquire prana." Kisame explained with his shark tooth grin in place.

"What do you mean? You mean to say you have some other method that other Servants can't use?" Rin asked. She knew of another way, but that way is…awkward.

Kisame nodded as he patted the hilt on his back, the sentient sword purring at his touch.

"Because of a certain part of my legend, I have an enormous amount of chakra…Which was converted to prana here. Because of my rank of A+ in Mana I have a large stockpile to indulge from. Also, my Noble Phantasm, Samehada, can drain energy from anything. Be it people, animal, spells, boundary fields, or even natural energy lanes…Anything with significant energy I can take it for myself."

Everyone's eyes widened in understanding and surprise. Even if Shirou can't fuel him, he can get energy elsewhere. Just by fighting he can acquire energy from opponents. Even if he is completely inactive, he can still absorb small amounts of mana from the atmosphere around him, due to Fuyuki City being rich in mana with the Holy Grail War taking place.

This is the reason why Hoshigaki Kisame's abilities didn't deteriorate by being summoned by an amateur magus like Emiya Shirou. His natural ability and circumstance allows him to be in his top shape regardless of weak master. (Be noted this is not like when Gilgamesh was transferred to Kirie or Saber to Rin or Sakura. Kisame is feeding himself so it is much different from those two.)

"So…About this church…is it like a temple?"

"No, but it is close." Shirou answered as he put his shoes on.

"Pity…I used to spend a lot of time in a temple to meditate…Whenever Itachi-san needs to relax."

"Itachi?"

"He was my partner…A real swell guy…killed his entire clansmen in one night…He was a real scary guy with skills to boot. In a way, I wouldn't even dare fight him." Answered Kisame in all honesty and respect for his old silent partner of Akatsuki.

Rin and Shirou shivered at the thought of someone who even scares a Saber class Servant. Archer on the orther hand narrows his eyes as another unfamiliar name was mentioned. Just who is this Hoshigaki Kisame?

Kisame stepped outside to take a deep evening breath as the cool air wrap around his skin.

_"Itachi-san…In the end I was not such a bad guy…And now…"_ He thought to himself. _"In death I found another amusing thing to occupy myself with…I might get a chance to see what I am before my moment of death…Once again."_

Rin, Shirou, and Kisame were walking down the street to head for Kotomine Church to register Shirou and Saber for the 5th Holy Grail War. Before leaving the house Rin suggested covering Kisame to not arouse attention. Shirou offer a yellow rain coat, but…The shark's death glare sent the message loud and clear.

"You sure that straw hat will do?" asked Rin as she led their group.

"I assure you Ojou-chan. This straw hat will do."

Kisame was in his Akatsuki cloak wearing his large straw hat with straps on it…It made him feel nostalgic for the old days when he and Itachi traveled everywhere to hunt for Akatsuki and hunting the Jinchuuriki….Ah, good times.

They managed to reach the church and Kisame suddenly felt the boundary field around the church and smirked.

_"Yare, yare, what a troublesome bunch…These seals have some interesting properties…Is it masking whatever that dark aura is coming from? What do you think Samehad__a__?"  
><em>"(I don't know, but I can still eat it with no indigestion."

_"If that is the case then please, enjoy."_

Samehada shivered in excitement as it drained the church's natural energy lane and its boundary field of its energy. He didn't eat all of it…just enough to remain in tip top condition…Okay so he ate enough to pack extra power.

Normally, any other Servants would feel sick here, but with Samehada draining the energy and converting it to prana, Kisame was just fine. Also he was no noble hero, so whatever this dark aura was…It meant nothing to him.

The three plus the hidden Archer entered through the church door.

"HEY! FAKE PRIEST! I GOT SOMEONE FOR YOU!" yelled out Rin and her voice echoed in the dark church.

Tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap…tap… tap… tap… tap… tap… tap…

"Honestly, Rin. How many times must I remind you. You must be silent in a church…This is the house of god and it is a place of worship and silent prayer." A voice intoned from the corner. The voice revealed himself as a middle age man with long and neatly kept brown hair and dull eyes appeared. He dressed in a holy robe of priest and had an aura of…someone dangerous.

Shirou felt the back of his hair stand at the man's entrance…For some reason he had an urge to fight this man…This kind of sudden hatred…It was unnerving.

Kisame smirked at the man's entrance. This holy man…He has the aura of a shinobi, someone who drives in lies and shadow. As a missing nin of Kiri, or specifically as a Kiri-nin, Kisame seen many nut jobs and in Akatsuki it was not like they lacked any, so he didn't mind the strange priest.

Kisame was no noble knight. So long as the priest who felt a little off didn't bother him, then he had no reason to cut off his legs and kill him…for now, anyway.

"Well? Why have you came in this ungodly hour Rin…You even brought guests? That is new." The priest said with no change in his expression but a light mocking tone. He walked…No, glided toward them in a smooth motion.

"I have a bunch that needs to know the rules for this Grail war." Rin said as she pointed to them.

"Oh…And you young man?"

Shirou walked up to the strange priest. "Emiya Shirou." Answered the young boy, and he watched as the expression of the man of the robe narrowed slightly and faded.

"Emiya…Shirou." The man repeated. "How interesting." He looked up to see the man in the black cloak and red clouds. He was now wearing a straw hat, but Kirei has seen this man before, through Lancer's eyes, but for formalities sake…

"And this must be…"

"Konbanwa….Ore wa kono Sehai Sensou no Godaime Saber…Hoshigaki Kisame-desu…Yoroshiku-desu.(Good Evening…I am the fifth Saber of this Holy Grail War…Hoshigaki Kisame…Pleased to make your acquaintance.)" Kisame greeted in his polite manner.

The priest nodding in greeting and saw the shark tooth like smile underneath the veil…Even after the Servant revealed his name to Lancer he couldn't find out anything on this Hoshigaki Kisame. To think a Servant give away his identity…And here he thought the war **he**** himse** had been at 10 years ago was the abnormal one.

_"__I__t seems there is always an odd one out in the war, huh."_ Thought the wicked man of the robe.

"Konbanwa…Welcome to my humble church, the lord welcomes all lost sheep in his home and it is my duty to guide them. I am Kotomine Kirei, the supervisor of this war…Yoroshiku."

Shirou can feel that this meeting will be a tiring one.

(Scene Skip!)

_"Rejoice, boy. Your wish will finally come true_…." Said the priest as the group left the church after the meeting was over. Kisame smirked as the man of the robe revealed the depth in his master that he didn't see before.

"A hero huh…What an interesting dream you have, my Master…" thought Kisame as he watched his Master frustrate himself over what the man had said. Kisame didn't think it was a bad thing. Sometimes having someone rub you the wrong way can help you mature after all.

While Kisame didn't care much for his Master's mood, said Master on the other hand was in conflict within the depths of his mind.

"I don't like that priest."

Emiya Shirou is a kind soul…It takes a lot to get on his bad side and earn his dislike and hate…

Shirou did not like the priest.

Not one bit!

Even from the few minutes Shirou had spent in his presence, it had become obvious to him that father Kotomine Kirei seemed to take some kind of deep, sick personal joy in irritating everyone around him. However Shirou felt his very being tense and repulse at that man's presence. Not even Rin felt such dislike towards her old mentor and after all the dresses he had gotten her to tease her that is saying something.

Perhaps it was the aura of smugness that seemed to permeate him, the air of 'I know all sorts of things you don't know, but I will hint a few to watch you squirm.'

Or perhaps it was the dark, mysterious presence that set off the alarm in his head.

Or maybe…because he knows too much and his words hit too close to home.

_"You can even heal those invisible burns__... "_

_"To save someone, there must be someone in trouble first…"_

_"Only by having misfortune, can you strive."_

_"Rejoice, boy. Your wish will finally come true."_

Oh, the last one got on his nerve a lot!

Kotomine Kirei...This will not be the last time he will meet the priest.

Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya walked in silence, Saber/ Kisame was walking a short distance from the duo. Archer was nowhere to be seen, but Samehada growled, sensing a faint presence above them, making Kisame smirk.

_"A spirit form huh? Rather useless since Samehada can sense prana like no other."_ thought Kisame, before perking up, glancing up towards the hill from where the group had just departed. "_Hm, looks like the night's entertainment hasn't ended just yet." _

The two students were silent as ever. Neither one of them, if they were being honest, wanted to think too hard about what happened next. The next part will be complicated.

Tohsaka Rin's actions in taking him to the church have been her means of repaying her debt. She had no other reason to associate with him. She was expressing open eagerness for hunting the other masters down. By all means they are enemies on opposite sides and after this weak truce is over, then they are full time enemies.

"We'll part here." Rin said as she gestured to the crossroads, one path leading back the way they'd come to reach the church, the other leading further into Shinto.

"I've repaid my debt, and it would be troublesome if we stay together any longer. We should part here and become enemies from tomorrow on." Rin said with her arms across her chest.

Her words, while polite, were rather blunt.

'There is no need for pleasantries or words, because you are still my enemy.'

For Shirou, who is an example of a swell and a nice guy, something like this is way out of his comfort zone, however…He did decided to fight, so there is no turning back. Also from what the priest explained Servants has their own reason to be here.

Shirou glanced at Kisame.

_"Kisame-san is here for a reason as well…It won't be fair for him to be summoned by me, no matter the reason, and forced to give up for me…"_

It doesn't mean he cannot show his gratitude to Tohsaka though.

"Well Tohsaka... even if you say that, I don't want to consider you an enemy. To put it frankly, I think you're a good person, even if you try to say you're not. Frankly, I hate having to be your enemy, because…I like people like you.

"Huh?"

It was kind of odd to watch. First Rin's eyes widened. Then her face turned red. Her heart beat faster as the boy who attracted her attention many years ago…over jumping over high setting bar!

_"OH MY GOD! Did he just say that? Ano~Baka! HE has no clue what he's saying does he?"_

_"Hee hee hee hee hee…How interesting…What an honest and sugary master…Nothing like Itachi-san, but nothing bad. This little show is an amusing precursor to the main event."_ Kisame thought.

_"I feel like I'm going to be sick…Was I ever that naïve?…Oh yeah…I was…"_ thought Archer as he looked at his younger self and his Master going through what was practically a romance script.

Rin managed to regain her voice as she hysterically pointed her finger at Shirou.

"B-Ba, ba, baka! What are you saying?...Wh-Whatever! Just make sure you use those Command Seals sparingly! If you use them all up, then run to the church for protection!"

While the two teens went through their teen romance crisis that has not even officially started yet, Kisame stepped up.

"Maa, maa…While watching you love birds is highly entertaining, I believe we have a rather dangerous guest waiting for us."

"""""WHO ARE YOU CALLING LOVE BIRDS!""""

"Wait? A guest?..."

Before Rin could recover completely and receive her answer, a soft, adorable and surprisingly ominous giggle filled the air.

"Nani?"

"What is going on?"

_"She's here!"_ though the knight in red.

"So…Another pair decided to reveal themselves…Took their sweet time." said Kisame as he walked in front of Shirou. He pulled out his Samehada and removed the bandages on the top…revealing its dark purple shark skin. He looked up from the street he was on towards the top of the high hill and saw their opponents.

"Are you two finished?" a young voice called out sweetly from the top of the hill.

There, at the top, two figures were slowly illuminated by the moon as the wind blew away the veil of clouds. The mist surrounding them fade as it revealed their forms. One was a little girl, clad in an expensive looking long purple coat and fur hat. She gazed at them through crimson eyes with long, pale silver hair glistening against the moon light. She did not look to be Japanese. Her features were European in origin. Though he had only seen her once before, Shirou easily remembered her from a few days prior, where she had given him a suddenly not-so-cryptic warning.

_"You really should summon your Servant soon…Onii-chan…"_

Oh, he should have known.

Behind her, an inhumanly massive figure loomed grimly, a powerful creature parodying a man's shape. Heavily muscled, with skin the color of brownish lead, with two dull, black metallic plates protruding out over his forearms from grey-black bracers, which the titan wore along with an armored kilt and grey-black anklets. The behemoth's hair was black as night, and shaggy, falling behind his face, which was set in a permanent, rage-filled glare. One eye yellow gold, the other a gleam of crimson. The giant was standing still and yet one can still feel the powerful killing intent rolling off of the man like the steam of a hot spring…Only this steam can kill those with weak hearts easily. It's as if a knife is being pressed against one's heart, instilling the understanding that death will come instantly if one moves.

"Berserker…" the twin-haired girl mumbled, fear tingeing her voice.

"Berserker? That is one of the servants right?" breathed Shirou with a hint of…Okay a lot of terror in his tone.

Rin nodded her head. "Berserker… the mad hero who forsakes his mind for physical power…They are known for their strength and the difficulties involved in controlling them…But this one…HE doesn't seem like a typical weak hero who exchanged his mind for power does he?"

"Hmm…Ojou-chan is correct…This one seems like he was someone strong and yet still was summoned as Berserker…This fight will be interesting." Kisame grinned as he stepped forward.

"Good evening, Onii-chan. We meet again," the snow fairy Master of Berserker giggled innocently with a soft smile like the moon overhead. The contrast between her demeanor and the circumstance sent chills down the two Masters' spines.

While the killing intent behind the monster's mere presence effectively crushed Shirou's resolve to even move, Rin had the presence of mind to analyze the situation. She used her special 'eye' that was given to Masters to read the Servant's status and the results weren't exactly promising. "Crap… he's way out of our league." She muttered under her breath.

"Perhaps so." Replied Kisame as he stepped forward.

Rin checked the Saber's status against their enemy…Even now not everything about Kisame was understandable, but Kisame has basic stats that rival Berserker's…If Kisame uses all his skills fighting Berserker head on and with Archer who is still rather banged up as back-up…This situation is not out of their control yet.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Rin. I am Ilya. Illyasviel von Einzbern yoroshiku." Said the white fairy as she curtsied politely.

"Now, I'll kill you all." The way she spoke those words was disgustingly pure, almost like she didn't understand them. "Go ahead, Berserker," she sang happily.

"GGGUUAAAAHHH!" roared the titan of iron skin as he charged forward with his stone club in hand. The bronze giant was big as he was fast. In lightning like quickness he covered the distance between them in no time.

"GUUUAAAHHHHH!"

He swung his large slab of a weapon at the Masters.

CCCLLLAAANKKK!

And it was blocked by the shark skin sword, in a thunderous crash of weapons. The force of the collision between them ripped apart the ground around the two Servants, and sent Rin and Shirou flying. Rin was caught by Archer before she could hit anything, while Shirou was lucky enough to slam through some bushes before hitting the ground, leaving him with some bruises and a slightly skinned back, but otherwise unharmed.

"My my…the Berserker class doesn't seem to have enough manners to introduce oneself…Well, at least I'll give my introduction." Said Kisame as he used all the strength he could muster in his right arm. He was using twice the power he used against Archer and Lancer, but it was no use…So using one hand against Berserker is wishful thinking…

This Berserker has A+ in term of Strength while Kisame's Strength is ranked B+, the conditions for the latter being that Kisame must simply have used Samehada against an opponent. To use one hand is highly dangerous so Kisame swings his word with both hands.

"GGGGGGGGGGAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Roared Berserker as he came down at the smaller giant. Kisame swung his shark skin sword to counter the overly powerful but simple strikes. As dozens, than hundreds, of strikes flew through the air, the area around the two warriors was introduced to a whirlwind. Cars are totaled and sent flying to smash through walls and into the ground. Lamp posts are ripped in two. Walls begin to explode. Trees are uprooted or ripped apart. And the ground begins to resemble the target of an artillery bombardment.

At first Kisame was excited, but he noticed how despite Berserker's clear overwhelming power, to the point that even Kisame could not match him in strength, his skills had deteriorated to the point of a joke. He saw academy kids with better swords skill.

_"His attacks still follows the principles of sword strikes…"_ thought Kisame as he blocked an overhead strike with his sword and spun around to lessen the impact. He then smashed his sword against Berserker's open side, ripping apart an already mangled car behind him, and leaving a small group of rips and tears in his skin. However, Berserker stumbled only slightly before resuming his vigorous attacks, too quickly for Kisame to take advantage of, his minor injury already healing.

_"…However his strikes are always a swipe in a horizontal, diagonal, or vertical direction…Never a stab…My, my, he is no beast, but an animal…I can't even call this one a beast…After it will be an insult to that Konoha no Aoi Moju(Konoha's Bizarre Beast)."_

Ah that guy…He was an interesting one.

"Compared to that man's insane power and skill…Berserker…you are…"

Kisame ducked a slash from the right which destroyed a fence behind him and part of a house porch, along with the house's front windows, and jumped back further, but Berserker gave a tight chase.

"…Lacking."

Kisame quickly made a hand seal and smiled. Following that, he jumped into the air, far slower than before, and his leg was grabbed by Berserker's huge hand and he was swung around like a rag doll as Berserker smashed him into the floor and again and again.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Squashed and bashed!

The sound of bones shattering and flesh being torn apart could be heard as Kisame was reduced to a pile of bloody meat. "Hee hee hee hee hee…Your Servant wasn't so bad…despite the fact he was a fish Onii-chan. He actually managed to keep up with Berserker. Illya said as she danced about. "But he was no match for Berserker…Because he's the strongest hero in all Greek history."

Rin gulped audibly while Archer who reappeared when the fight began leapt up on top of a house away from the Masters, black bow in hand. From his position, silver stars hurtled through the night like a machine gun, striking all over Berserker's body. Such a barrage could have destroyed houses, yet Berserker didn't even flinch. The power of the barrage was less than nothing to him. It was as if the arrows didn't even exist.

As her Servant's attack failed to do anything, Rin managed to get hold of her voice as she responded to Illya's declaration. "Strongest of the Greek…Th-that means…Berserker is…" the magus in red managed to say, her words painfully forced.

"Yes. My Servant is the demigod known as Hercules. Your Servants aren't even close to his league," Illya confirmed cheerfully.

Shirou gulped down as well…Hercules…What person never heard of that hero…What hero can match him? And more importantly, what happened to his Servant!

"KISAME-SAN! ARE YOU OKAY?" yelled out Shirou in concern, but the smoke and debris of the two Servants' rampage covered Kisame's form from sight.

"Hee hee…I am sure that fish man is a paste under Berserker's feet. And now it is your turn."

Before she could order Berserker to attack, everyone noticed something wrong…Where is Kisame's body? The white and grey smoke and dust settled down, but there was no sign of Kisame's dead body. The only thing left where Kisame had been was…a puddle of…water?

"What happened Berserker? Did you crush the fishy's body into dust?"

Berserker obviously didn't answer as he looked around. While his mind is clouded with rage, his instincts are still well intact.

"Yare, yare, what an interesting fellow. While you didn't notice the Mizu Bunshin with an extra storng does of prana and the substitution jutsu, you still realized I am alive…What a mix." A voice sounded above them. Everyone looked up at the top of a miraculously intact telephone pole and on the top of it was Saber…Alive and well.

"While this fight is interesting…" He jumped off the pole, flying dozens of meters through the air, and landing in the middle of a graveyard that the group had gotten close to during the fight. "Fighting in an open field is better."

Berserker, not caring how the blue thing survived, only caring for killing it, charged mindlessly into the graveyard. His massive stone sword and his killing intent cloaking him the Servant of Madness jumped into the air and landed in the middle of the graveyard. Berserker roared as his voice nearly woke the dead as he charged at the smirking Servant of the Sword.

Kisame smirked as he went through a set of hand seals.

"While this jutsu requires a delicate touch, but with enough power, I can use it my way. Suiton: Mizuame Nabara (Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field)!" declared Kisame as he spat out high-viscosity, chakra infused water, aimed at a surface of wide scope.

This is a stream of sticky liquid that can be used to form an adhesive trap that can inhibit a person's mobility. One can effectively reduce their enemy's area of activity with this technique, and it has ability to take complete control of the battlefield. A factor Kisame will use in this fight to the fullest.

"Please…Come into my trap like an angry bull." Kisame thought, as he thought over the other aspect of this jutsu.

The normal scope of this technique is normally just a few meters, but with Kisame's prana level he can make this jutsu into a wide battle field range weapon.

The syrup like water trap was wide and strong. Its stickiness can trap any normal Servants, but Berserker was no ordinary Servant.

With his power and speed, he can run just as fast in the water syrup, but slightly…just slightly his speed decreased along with his stability on the ground. While small, for Kisame, it will be a critical bonus. Also, this jutsu contains one of his little additions, chakra absorbing water. So long as Berserker fights on it, Kisame can drain him of his prana even without using Samehada up close.

Clank! Clank! Voosh! Duck! Clank!

The two exchanged countless blows with beyond inhuman speed and skill. The sound of their unusual weapons clashing could be heard wide and far as their power increased to outpace one another. And the whirlwind formed again, turning the graveyard into a maelstrom of destruction. Berserker's deafening roar rang in everyone's ears, but Kisame's grin never faded as the fight dragged on.

"This is unbelievable…Saber is actually keeping up against Berserker head to head." Rin muttered in disbelief.

She and others watched as Saber/Kisame exchanged several wild blows with Berserker. They watched Berserker roar as he smashed aside several grave stone to hit Kisame, but the Mist nin was keeping up blow for blow. It was clear that Berserker had a lead in the strength department, but Kisame was cleverly blocking and just as quickly redirecting the attack to the side in order to protect himself. While it looked like a contest of strength, Kisame was actually nullifying Berserker's insane power enough to push back with his own impressive strength. Again and again, gravestones were shattered and sent flying from the force of the titans' strikes. Kisame had landed dozens of earth shattering blows, but the wounds were mostly minor, and many had already healed.

"Hmmm…I've drained a large quantity of prana from this beast, but he's not tiring…That little master of his is more powerful than she looks…it is like she is a walking prana battery….Is she a Jinchuuriki?" thought Kisame as he flipped back.

"It is clear sword attacks can only do so much…must use ninjutsu now."

Kisame made a single hand seal. "Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu.(Water release: Hidden Mist jutsu)" said Kisame was a thick layer of mist cover the grave yard. The mist thickens as it covered his form from all. However Berserker's instinct is not dulled by his Mad Enhancement, so he charged forward with his ferocious roar.

"Now for the finishing touch." Kisame thought as he wordlessly made a mizu bunshin to take over the fight while he moved back.

Kisame observed using Samehada's sensory ability and observed Berserker killing his weak water clone and senselessly search for him.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR BERSERKER! FINISH HIM OFF!" came the cry from the other side of the mist, her shout giving away her location even without Samehada's sensor ability.

"Ho ho…If I was that gaki, Zabuza I would have killed the little missy, but…I like doing things the hard way." Kisame muttered as he started to go through some hand seals. The next one will be a big one.

Tiger → Ox → Monkey → Rabbit → Ram → Boar → Ox → Horse → Monkey → Tiger →

"Normally even I would use this jutsu with a body of water nearby, but I have enough energy to burn with no problem."

Dog → Tiger → Snake → Tiger → Ox → Monkey → Rabbit …

Kisame finished the chain of hand motions with a 'bird' seal.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu(Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)!" declared Kisame from the mist as the very mist itself gathered together to reveal his location. Berserker saw the mist fade and saw Kisame with no weapon in hand.

"GGGUUUUAAAAHHHHH!" roared Berserker as he charged at Kisame with his right eye glowing red.

"Too late!"

Kisame also released more water from his mouth to increase the volume of natural water and his own to make his jutsu bigger. He gathered a great ring of water in front of him and the surging waves spun around at high speed as it built power. This attack, would contain all the force of the great oceans of the world. Then in an instant the large surge of water blasted towards Berserker like a falling waterfall, smashing into him and sweeping him away. Not even the mighty Berserker can stand against a natural disaster like wide range, A rank jutsu. The force of the water smashed Berserker's body against the debris and the ground. He was swept away, taking countless gravestones along for the ride and smashed into a hill, plowing a short distance through it before coming to a halt.

The aftermath of the jutsu was the end of a natural disaster alright as the entire graveyard was a mess, looking like the aftermath of tsunami. Berserker was waist deep under the remaining water as he slowly got up.

Berserker shook off the massive damage from the A rank attack that would kill some weaker Servants, but Berserker is not some weak Servant. He had a few broken bones, was a bit dizzy, and ached all over (though he didn't really feel it in his mindless rage). All of which were healing or being shook off. However, the impact of the attack made the opening Kisame was aiming for.

"AN OPENING!" Kisame yelled as he swung his great sword, Samehada, at the kneeling Berserker from behind. Berserker's God Hand and his natural endurance made him a tough opponent to hurt, let alone kill. However with one well-placed attack which packed just enough power after actually weakening Berserker with a powerful attack that he can't hold his ground against might do the trick.

Great Waterfall Technique was the first step to weaken him and as for the well placed strike.

"ORAAA!" yelled Kisame as he smashed his Samehada right into the side of Berserker's head, applying enough force to rip a navy frigate in two.

Berserker might be strong, but there are certain parts of the human body that cannot be as hard or tough as other parts. You can strengthen your neck, but there is a limited amount of force it can take before snapping…A large heavy sword swung by someone's whose strength level is only a few steps behind Berserker will do just fine.

Berserker's head bent down at a very odd angle, while Berserker himself was imbedded into the hill from the force of the strike, with deep gashes on the side of his face. Rin and Shirou gasped at Kisame's final blow, while Archer looked on, impressed despite himself. And Illya…never stopped smiling. If anything, her smile only got larger.

"B-Berserker is…Taken down?" muttered Rin.

"As expected… Saber class Servants are all monsters." Archer muttered as he narrowed his eyes at the shark man. _"But this is not over."_

"Kisame-san!" Yelled out Shirou, glad the mad man was killed, but he stopped and watched in horror as Berserker slowly pulled himself out of the earth with a broken neck that slowly…snapped back into place? Not only that, all the damage he had taken was healing.

Only for it to be snapped AGAIN, as Kisame swung Samehada into his head with even more force than before, as a result of spinning it dozens of times over his head as Berserker revived to gain centrifugal force. "Interesting. High speed regeneration? Or Forced Revival? Pondered Kisame as Berserker went flying, neck bent even more than before, and smashed through a tree before plowing into the earth of the graveyard, another life taken from him. Kisame charged after him, his image too fast to be seen by all but Archer.

"In that case, let's see how much it can take!" Kisame bellowed as he leapt into the air, the force of his leap shattering the earth he stood on. Flying several stories into the air, he made a single hand seal before spitting out a large amount of water, all of which flowed around Samehada upon creation. Spinning, spinning, spinning so fast at speeds the fastest drill ever created could never dream of achieving, a great conelike drill of water formed around Kisame, with its killing end focused on Samehada. Wind became roaring all around the area, brought on by the tornado like force of the water drill's speed. Coming down like a meteor at Berserker, who was slowly standing up, his neck healed again, Kisame roared.

Suiton: Sōdai Kaisaku(Water Release: Great Excavation)!

The titanic water drill slammed into Berserker's upper back, instantly smashing him into the ground while cratering the land around him. A typhoon of air pressure and wind ripped up the already pulverized graveyard even more, sending the remains of gravestones flying about, and uprooting several trees. The drill continued to plow into the giant, ripping apart Berserker's great lead skin, before exploding into a great wave of water in all directions.

"Brace yourselves!" Archer yelled, appearing in front of Rin and Shirou who had been moving about to follow the fight as close as they could get. Heeding his warning, having seen Kisame's awe inspiring technique, the two teens did as ordered, before a wave about half as high as their heads plowed through the area sweeping them off their feet, but also cushioning their fall. Archer had remained unmoving as the wave swept through, and slightly lessened its impact. As the waves stopped, and things calmed down, the Masters and one Servant slowly approached the area where the water had originated.

Upon arrival, even Archer's eyes widened.

Kisame was standing over the fallen giant. Said's giant's back had been torn apart, a great gaping wound, most of his spine was destroyed, several organs were damaged, and part of his heart was missing. But even with all that, it was all regenerating, albeit at a slower pace than before.

"Heh. Taking one of my stronger A rank jutsus directly, and undefended, yet you can still revive? How interesting." Kisame grinned, before feeling a spike of prana through Samehada. Pinpointing the source, he espied Illyasviel in the forest, safely away from the battle, but close enough to observe. She was no longer smiling, but she still didn't look upset.

That's quite a large amount of prana, what's she up to?" Kisame wondered before noticing something out of the corner of his eye. Turning back to Berserker, his eyes widened slightly. His terrible wound…was almost healed.

"I don't think so!" With both hands he swung Samehada at Berserker's head again, aiming to kill him with the strike that had succeeded before. Yet this time, his sword made contact with Berserker's skull…and didn't even budge it. The ground in the direction that Kisame swung gained a new mark as a great scar formed from the pressure of the strike, but Berserker, was unmoved.

"Nani?" Kisame exclaimed, before Berserker suddenly leapt up, his great stone sword swing around from his front as he spun around. Taken completely by surprise, Kisame was too slow to react as the slab smashed into his chest.

"Gguuhh!" groaned out Kisame. He was sent flying and smashed into the remaining rubble of some grave stones, before plowing a trench through the ground before coming to a halt.

"Ughh…what the hell was that!" Thought Kisame, a great gash on his chest and stomach. His internal organs are damaged and his ribs shattered. It reminded him of the time when he fought the Hachibi no Jinchuuriki and the Konoha no Aoikaju…However.

"…Samehada…"

"Gigigigigigigigigigigigigi(Got it)"

Kisame slowly felt Samehada's prana filling into his wound, he can feel his prana healing the heavy wound and the damaged organs are quickly being healed. However, as a shinobi it is better to drag the fight out to heal more, and find out why his strike failed to even budge Berserker. And what better way to buy time than to make the enemy talk.

"Kore wa…Do you mind explaining young missy?" he called out to the white haired girl, who had moved a little bit closer to the battlefield, as a steady flow of blood spilled out of his great wound and mouth. Illya smiled and spun around with a laugh.

"Well, since you asked so nicely fishy Saber-san. While you're pretty good to be able to kill Berserker three times, it is meaningless. Because you see, Berserker's Noble phantasm, God Hand grants him 12 lives."

"! 12 lives?" exclaimed Rin, who had seen Berserker's skill and status in detail with her eye of a Master…It takes a lot to even wound Berserker, so to kill him 9 more times…It is madness!

"Oh? That is impressive…So I need to kill you 9 more times then? This is getting rather problematic…But why did my last strike fail to injure him?"

"Heehee, you struck Berserker so many times with that blade, his Noble Phantasm developed immunity to it. You won't be killing him even one more time. There is no one in the world that can beat Berserker. Berserker! Finish him off." Cheered the young girl as Berserker roared in response.

"Kisame-san!" yelled Shirou as he ran to the man who saved him and bound himself to him as a partner.

"Emiya-kun!" exclaimed Rin as she tried to chase after the suicidal fool, but Archer stopped her.

"Don't be a fool, Rin!"

"I can't just let that baka go get himself killed!"

"He is an enemy master! Have you forgotten that?" scolded Archer and watched her frown as she thought over the situation, however before she can come to a conclusion. A voice interrupted them.

"Rather cold of you Archer-san…How about you help me out for a bit."

Archer quickly turned around with his Kanshou and Bakuya: Gan Jiang and Mo Ye in hand. He looked at the owner of the voice behind him and his eye widened in surprise.

"You? But how?"

"Hee hee hee…I would like for you to help me out now…Archer-san."

"KISAME-SAN!"

As Shirou ran to Kisame to help him, somehow, Berserker noticed the boy's sudden approach and his instinctive reflexive attack shot forward as he redirected his club to split the boy into two…However….At that moment he turned his menacing eyes away from Kisame.

"Foolish!" declared Kisame as blood spat out of his mouth. He raised both hands in a single seal.

"Suiton: Suigadan (Water Release: Water Fang Bullet)!" roared Kisame as the massive amount of water below them twirled and spun around to form fangs. The spinning water fangs shot forward and stabbed and thrust at Berserker from all direction. Berserker roared as several drills of water slammed into him and some even smashed at his face and blinded his vision, filling his ears with the roar of waves. Kisame had pushed just enough prana into the technique in the short time he had to raise its power and rank to A, barely.

"OOHHHH!" roared Kisame as he not used the Suigadan as a piercer, but as a tower. The drills of water were unable to pierce Berserker's iron skin, but were able to push the giant into the air.

"Suiton: Suikōtoppa(Water Release: Water Shark Breakthrough)" declared Kisame as he thrust his fist forward. He released a modified long range version of Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique) and let the large water shark bite into Berserker's body. The water made shark swam high into the sky.

While the water shark might not have enough power to kill Berserker again, it did bring Berserker high into the sky and into the open air.

"Is this high enough?" asked Kisame while lying on the ground with his chest wound already healed

"Archer-san." Said another Kisame standing behind Archer who was sporting a black bow and a drill like arrow on the bow. The white haired Servant pulled the arrow back and stared at the helpless giant in mid-air.

"I am the bone of my sword…My spine drilled into this arrow…" muttered Archer.

Caladbolg II: The Fake Spiral Sword is a modified version of the original Caladbolg using Reinforcement. Archer encountered the original at some point during his lifetime, and added it to the numerous Noble Phantasms stored in his collection. He modified it to suit the needs of his fighting style. A sword used as an arrow.

This Broken Phantasm packs rank A worthy power. More than enough to knock a life out of Berserker.

"A small ripple compared to the great sea that is Berserker…However this small ripple shall become the foundation…The necessary step to become a great wave to finish you off." Said Archer as the drill like arrow sparked and glow with untamed power. The very air around him twisted and turned as it aimed at suspended Berserker.

Before firing Archer angled his head at the grinning shark man behind him…This Saber is no Arturia…He is powerful and tricky…He has shown skill with a sword of abnormal power and water magecraft of very high levels.

"He needs to be killed as well…along with the boy." He decided to add extra power into the arrow, hoping the greater blast can engulf Kisame as well as Berserker.

"That means I need to hit Berserker when he descends just enough to add the boy and his Saber in the range of Caladbolg's attack and keep Rin out!" thought Archer as Berserker fell just enough.

He released the arrow and watched as highly unstable and volatile Broken Phantasm slammed into Berserker and engulfed him in a furious explosion and immense fireball.

"GGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUAHHHHHHHH!-"

The howl of Berserker was overpowered by the sheer roar of the explosion, and the wall of fire and wide spread explosion reached for the ground where Kisame and Shirou were. Time seemed to slow down. Shirou saw the wall of furious fire approaching him. He weakly saw the death approaching him and closed his eyes.

"…Father…" thought Shirou.

However, Kisame didn't feel like dying right then.

"Suiton: Bakusui Shōha (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave)!" roared Kisame as he blasted out a large volume of water. Instead of his usual small ocean amount he released a volume of water equal to a large lake. The massive amount of water covered the two of them underneath and blocked off the massive amount of fire and prana from the Broken Phantasm. The water released a large amount of steam as it was evaporated by the sheer heat of the Broken Phantasm.

However, the power of an A rank Broken Phantasm is no laughing matter. The weaker version of Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave would only boil them alive, so…

Instead of using the large volume of water as a shield, the pair of Master and Servant allowed the raging waves to carry them away.

"OOOHHHHH!" roared out the monster of the Hidden Mist as the force of his waves sent him and his master away from the blast range. The force of the impact sent them far. Kisame resurfaced as he pulled his Master above water. "Well…That was a fun little experience was it not Master?"

But Kisame suddenly noticed the smell of blood on his Master. He quickly turned around to check on him and found a shard of metal stuck in his stomach. Shirou groaned at the hot piece of metal that was once part of Caladbolg II that had managed to pierce through the mass of water stabbed deep into his body.

"Ugghhh…." The pain of the prana made shard of metal burning into his stomach. His very being shook as the wound caused him a great deal of trauma and blood loss.

"Oi! Master!" Kisame pulled the boy up and stood on top of the water. The small lake that was as deep as hill. Kisame ran across the water and got to dry land in no time. Kisame laid his Master down on his back and checked the wound.

"What happened?" exclaimed Rin as she ran to them.

"A stray shard!" replied Kisame, but he kept his eye around for Archer just in case.

_"I know I felt that Saki (Killing intent)…While I can respect opportunists… I'll keep my eye on you…Archer-san." _Thought Kisame as he observed the wound on his Master.

"This seems simple enough…" he turned to his sword.

"Samehada, can you heal him?"

"Gigigigigigigigigigigigigigi(I can do something about it)" Samehada, the Great Sword has ability to absorb an insane amount of prana, however it also has power to restore its wielder's reserves and able to heal their wounds.

Kisame grinned as he grabbed onto the shard.

"Wait! What are you doing?"

"Removing the shard." Answered the Shark man as if it was perfectly normal removing the shard of metal in a wound that was preventing massive blood loss.

"What about after that? Do you know how to heal injuries?"

Kisame didn't answer as he tugged out the metal shard with a swift pull and held the wound down. Samehada stretched its handle to touch Shirou. Kisame felt his sword transfering a bit of his chakra to mend his master's wound. Kisame watched as the wound in his Master's stomach begin to fade bit by bit.

"What? Your sword can heal people?"

"Indeed ojou-chan." replied Kiame as he watched the wound swirl and seal shut. The wound was still raw, but the blood stopped flowing. The angry red flesh beneath the skin twitched as it repaired itself slowly. Interestingly enough, as the wound was healed, Samehada and Kisame noticed an interesting concentration of energy in Shirou. By the pure prana in his abdomen…It is not demonic in nature…what could it be?

Kisame smirked as he lifted his master up like a sack of potatoes and turned to the younger girl. "Ojou-chan would you mind helping me? As you can see I am no healer…Who knows what might happen to my Master. Also…That guy is alive."

Rin's eyebrows rose in confusion as Archer appeared behind her with a scowl. "I killed him…But it seems my attack only killed him one time."

From the conflagration of smoke, fire, steam and water was Berserker's form revealed, fully healed once again. The giant of madness turned to the group of Masters and Servants, however he didn't attack. Berserker lifted someone, which was revealed to be Ilya, and allowed her to sit on his shoulder.

"Your Archer isn't so bad either…Rin. Both your Archer and Oni-chan's Saber managed to kill Berserker four times now…That deserves praise. However, Rin…Next time, I will kill you." Said Ilya as an afterthought. "Let's go home Berserker." Berserker growled slightly, but merely kept his eyes on grinning Kisame. He slowly turned around and walked towards the field of fire.

Ilya turned to face the group. "I'll see you next time…Bye bye…Oni-chan."

The group watched the deadly loli and her giant vanish, and Rin let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Well…This war just started and I am all excited…Don't you feel the same, Shirou-san?" Kisame asked the injured boy.

"Uuggghhh…" the boy groaned out.

"I agree, it is spectacular." Smirked Kisame as they he headed back to Emiya house…With Rin and Archer tagging along.

END

**And that's the chapter two of my latest fic. How was it? Funny? Cool? Or was it bad…it wasmn't bad was it(Add Ilya puppy eye here…Or the yandere loli glare)**

**Well regardless, please review! Don't be shy and please once again I like to thank ****EVA-Saiyajin**** for his help.**

**Bye bye…(Ichimaru wave)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here the the chapter you all been waiting for! There are some elements in this chapter I was hoping to save for later, but it turned out okay.**

**Enjoy and review**

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><p>Ch3 Same wa Hebi no Mai<p>

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><p><em>It was the middle of a cool, winter night. Fuyuki City was embracing the winter night as the air flew around and sent shivers down the spines of its victims.<em>_A younger version of Emiya __Shirou __walked to the outside porch and __sat next to his adoptive __father. The duo sat there__ watching the beautiful full moon overhead__ as the winter wind cleared the sky of any clouds._

_Emiya Kiritsugu, a man who travels and leaves his home rather often. It is giving a rare sight to see him staying at home…No, it is more like he is unable to travel anymore. The Magus Killer who kept his tittle secret from his son…A man who was once so active and elusive and caused shivers of fear to the magi everywhere is now…weak…broken…and feeble._

_It was unbelievable that this grey yukata wearing man with messy black hair and brown, dull, glassy eyes was once feared as a bogyman among magi._

_Young Shirou, who is ignorant and young failed to see the obvious signs…his father…his beloved father is dying. B__ut__ he will not know…Kiritsugu, will never let him know until it is too late. He doesn't want his son to feel unhappy and sad…As his father he doesn't want to burden his son with the thought of him dying…He will die…Soon, than later Emiya Kiritsugu will breathe his last breath, but…He will never let his son feel the agony of helplessly watching him die…No…Even if it is insignificant and small…He wishes to lessen his pain and suffering._

_Pain will not let him grow…it will just break the broken boy he barely managed to put together._

_The father and son silently watched the moon; however, __after a while__ Kiritsugu__ spoke._

_"When I was young, I wanted to be a hero of justice." __The tone he used was…sad. It was like he was resigned or perhaps regretful._

_"What do you mean, Tou-san? Don't tell me you gave up?" Shirou asked plaintively. T__o him, his father is the greatest of all heroes. To him his father is no fictional hero of children fantasy, but a real hero who saved him from the inferno that claimed over 500 lives._

_Kiritsugu smiled as he shook his head side to side in a slow, gentle manner.__ "I guess… I did. Being a hero isn't something you can do all your life, and when you get older, it becomes harder and harder to call yourself that. Looking back, I wish I figured that out sooner."_

_Facing the moon himself, Shirou could only nod. No matter how much he might not want to, or whether he even understood__ his father's words__, __his father's tone simply made him feel submissive, as if his father's words are the absolute truth…as his son he must simply obey._

_"Huh. I guess you can't help it, right?"__ said Shirou sadly._

_"No, I guess I can't," the older man replied with a wistful sigh._

_Grinning and facing his dad with eyes alight with heartfelt determination, Shirou made his declaration. "Well, in that case, I'll pick up where you left off. If you can't handle it anymore, I'll take up your dream! I'll make it happen with all my strength!"_

_Kiritsugu's eyes widen at the proclamation. His heart which was drowned by grief temporarily beat gently as he felt a deep warmth in his soul._

_'I am a terrible father. Despite knowing that this path is a path of pain and suffering, I feel so happy that there is another who feels the burning justice behind that flawed ideal…Shirou…I am so happy. I know that you will face hardship unlike any other, but…I don't know why, but I feel the chain in my soul loosen for the first time in many years…Thank you Shirou…Thank you…my son…' thought Kiritsugu as a slight tear trailed from the corner of his eye._

_"I'm relieved to hear that, Shirou." __He replied. He slowly closed his eyes and leaned against the wall._

_"I am rather tired now. While I wish I could keep my eyes open…but my eyes feel so heavy…"_

_"If you're feeling sleepy, there's no reason to resist it Tou-san. Rest…everyone deserve to rest from hard day." His son said, smiling._

_"Ah…you think so son? I'm glad to hear that…Yes…"_

_Kiritsgu looked at the bright moon for the last time and turned to look at his son and smiled._

_"A rest is just what I need…Goodbye son."_

_Shirou ,who was staring at the moon, didn't notice the final 'goodbye' and instead heard 'goodnight'_

_"Okay, Tou-san. Goodnight. See you tomorrow."_

_Emiya Kiritsugu…The infamous Magus Killer and the Master of the Saber in the Yondai Sehai Sensou closed his eyes and fell into deep sleep. __He looked so peaceful that the boy came back out with a blanket and laid it over his father before going to bed on that silent night. He'd wake him up in the morning for breakfast._

_However…_

_Kiritsugu Emiya would never open his eyes again._

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><p><em>(Scene Change)<em>

_Kiri…Kirigakure no Sato. It is the name of the shinobi village located somewhere in the mists of the Mizu no Kuni, the home of the Kiri-nin._

_Here men and women of Kiri are taught at a young age to fight and kill for the sake of their village and country. The Village of the Hidden Mist was one of the five great Shinobi villages, and held the authority to call its most powerful shinobi and leader a kage._

_The title of Mizukage was a source of pride and nobility. By all means, the village was a shinobi village. It was a military focused community and death and injury were common._

_However, once more gentle Kirigakure changed its nickname to something more…appropriate for its new ways._

_Chigiri no sato, the Village of the Bloody Mist._

_It all began with the command of the Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura_

_His time as the Mizukage drastically changed the system of the Hidden Mist. For one, there was the new graduation exam for the genin, the low level shinobi. The exam requirement was simple. First, you are paired with a partner during your early years of shinobi education, and on the day of graduation…You are to kill your partner who you shared your hardships, dreams, goals, and pains with._

_Shheeeennngg! Thud!_

_The sound of a small body falling to meet the ground was heard. The body that fell was that of a young boy no older than 13. His neck was sliced open by a sharp object and he struggled on the cold floor as his life liquid spilled out of his body. He died not long after that. Standing above the boy was another boy with blue skin, blue hair, and shark-like features. This blue haired boy had a kunai in hand and a bloody headband with four wavy lines in the middle of the metal plate._

_One day, this boy will become the most feared and respected member of his generation's __Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū, the famed __Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist__. A group of Shinobi Swordsmen who are the highest pride of the Kiri-nin and a group that rivals the Konohagaure's Densetu no Sannin._

_He will be known as the Monster of the Hidden Mist and the wielder of the Great Sword Samehada. Also…he will be one of the greatest traitors of his village and the infamous member of an organization that will make the entire Shinobi world its enemy…He will one day become a man, a heroic villain who fought for the cause that would strive to create a world without lies._

_He is…Hoshigaki Kisame._

* * *

><p><em>(Scene Change)<em>

_A flash of an image appeared…it was fuzzy, but it was definitely the scaled form of Samehada…_

_Material…unknown…History…within reach…unattainable…_

_Woosh!_

_Another image appeared replacing Samehada._

_This time it was a large sword that rivaled the greatsword in sheer size._

_Its shape was fuzzier than that of Samehada, but by the looks of it, it was a large sword shaped more like a great dao, but it was almost completely straight…perhaps like a knife? A large, oversized version of a kitchen knife?_

_Suddenly pain shot through his head._

_It shook the very core of his body as all images faded to black…And he too was fading away._

With a sharp jolt, Shirou opened his eyes and bolted upright, gazing upon a familiar room in the pre-dawn darkness. He slowly rolled his eyes as he checked his surroundings…this empty and bland room…it's his alright.

Shirou slowly sat up as he clenched his head in pain. He remembered his dream…He didn't know why he was remembering that night when he spoke to his dad for the last time, but he was sure the second dream was not his own.

"What was that…Kiri…Shinobi…Kisame-san? That was him, right?...Oh man, my head hurts…and I can taste blood in my mouth."

Shirou walked out of his futon and went into the washroom to clean his face and wake himself from his deep slumber. After washing his face in a cool water he was awaken and ready to face the day. However…

"Last night…What happened?" muttered Shirou as he walked towards his living room. He tried to recall the events of the previous night, but his head was cloudy and confused.

He slide open his sliding door and was greeted by a familiar female voice.

"Good morning, Emiya-kun." Shirou looked up to see the school idol Tohsaka Rin sitting down on his living room table while drinking tea.

"Please pardon my intrusion, but considering how I brought you here, it should be fine right?"

"…Huh?"

"But wow, I noticed that you don't have any good tea here. Even if it is tea bags, at least get a triangular pack!"

"Uh…Tohsaka…Why are you…" Before he could finish Rin held her hands up to stop him.

"Hai, hai before we go any further, I am waiting for my 'thank you' for bringing you home last night Emiya-kun."

Shirou had a confused look as he tried hard to remember what happened last time.

/Flash!/

A giant!

A battle!

A Shark-man…Kisame-san!

A graveyard…waters…a lot of waters.

Dying…but always standing back up.

It ended with…A sword? An arrow? The result…oh he was familiar with the result…A great fire…

"Ah! Berserker!"

"That's right Emiya—kun I am glad to see you remember it all."

"But I can't seem to remember why I was injured like this?" The moment he asked that question Rin's face showed a grimace. "That was…My fault in a way. Archer's attack…While it managed to kill Berserker once, but you and Saber got caught in it."

Shirou's eyes widen as images of an explosive wave of fire approaching him and a painful sensation of something stabbing into his stomach was felt.

"I was…stabbed in the stomach by a metal shard of something…But how am I…."

"It was thanks to Saber's regenerative power you were saved. I'm sorry about that." Mumbled Rin as she tilt her head away slightly in embarrassment.

The two students drank some tea as one of them digested the information that he almost died.

"Hah…" Rin sighed. "This war is turning out as I expected and yet something strange is popping out every few minutes. A Saber who exposes his name to all his enemies and yet his name reveals nothing. And a Master that runs into danger to save his Servant and in the end is saved by the Servant. Theoretically it is impossible for the Servant's mana to flow into the Master…But since there is an impossible master." Rin looked into Shirou's eyes.

"A Master that runs into danger for their Servant…That's suicidal and stupid. If you die, so will Saber."

"Huh? Oh…" said Shirou as he remembered the connection and the rule of the Grail War…The importance of the Master in the pair ups.

"Emiay-kun, what do you plan to do now?"

"…I don't have any use for the Grail, nor am I terribly interested in fighting for the Grail…I simply don't want to repeat the tragedy from 10 years ago."

Rin let out a sigh at his answer. It seems he insists on going the hard way. It was admirable, if it wasn't for the fact he was completely useless as a Master and a pathetic magus…Just what can he do to accomplish his lofty goal?

"Emiya-kun, regardless of your plan or mine there is an important fact that affects us both…Berserker's master is of the Einzbern family."

"Ilya?"

"Hai. That girl's Servant is no joke. With the power it already welds and including the Noble Phantasm God Hand…It is single handily the most powerful force in this war. It took both Saber and Archer to kill it four times, but from what I gathered Saber will not be able to kill it anymore with sword strikes alone and Archer's special arrow from last time will lose its effectiveness against God Hand…So I have a deal for you."

"Huh? A deal?"

"That's right. Let's make an alliance. At least until Berserker is dealt with. With Archer's long range attacks and Saber's close range supremacy and his water magecraft, we stand a better chance than if we were to fight her separately."

"Speaking of our Servants…" Shirou looked around. "Where are they?"

"Archer is on the roof keeping an eye out for trouble, and Saber…Where is he?"

Unbeknownst to the teenagers, Kisame was listening in on their conservation while hiding in the simplest of manners. Who needs to astralize when they can disappear in different way?

"Ho…An alliance? If I must team up to deal with Berserker…I better meet up with my new partner." Kisame thought from the room next to the kids'. Without making a sound he stood up and vanished in a Mizu Shunshin no Jutsu.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Archer was standing on the Emiya Mansion's roof, gazing out into the city. His sharp eyes missed nothing as he kept watch.<p>

'What is happening to this world? Saber is a complete different person…Berserker losing four lives…While some events are the same, there are several x-factors popping out. I even had a good chance to kill that brat last night…I thought that without Arturia Avalon wouldn't be able to save him, but this new Saber has a regenerative method as well. It seems to be par for the course for the Saber class to have such healing methods.'

"I can see you're working hard for us Archer-san. Commendable."

Archer was deep in thought, but to think he was caught off guard so easily! He immediately spun around, but Kisame showed no signs of hostility. Archer scolded himself for his lack of focus.

'Damn it, how could I forget! This Saber is no Arturia, and he pretty much told me that he's a shinobi!'

"There's no need to be alarmed. I just came to introduce myself properly, since we'll be teaming up from now on."

Archer raised his brows, but Kisame simply chuckled. "It's been decided by our Masters to work together to defeat Berserker, so I guess I'll be in your care. As you may already know, I am Hoshigaki Kisame, a former Kirigakure no Shinobi and a former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Pleased to meet you…" Kisame's round shark like eyes bored into Archer's.

"And you are Servant Archer, who was summoned by the little ojou-chan downstairs and whose identity remains unknown…Since we'll be working together would you mind sharing your name?"

Archer smirked.

"Unfortunately, I was summoned in a hectic way that I lost my memory. I retained my purpose and fighting capability, but my identity and history remains blank."

"Is that so? How unfortunate. So you don't even know who you are…That's no better than being lost in the middle of a mist, unable to leave its watery veil." Kisame smirked. "Well regardless of your identity, I believe as your new partner I should give you the same warning I gave my last partner…." Kisame walked closer to Archer, no killing intent released, no signs of hostility, but still threatening. Archer tensed slightly, his hands ready to trace his swords.

"Because of my past I am a man who is very familiar with killing my comrades." He paused. Archer didn't seem to feel threatened, but his eyes had hardened. Kisame smirked. "Since you don't remember who you are, you might not know whether or not you too experienced the sensation that accompanies the act…I'll tell you now the sensation of killing your allies and comrades is something you don't forget. It's something indescribable."

Kisame still emitted no killing intent, but the rushing sensation in Archer's heart urged him to flee, but Archer knows…A wrong move here will result in horrible death.

"All for the sake of my village, I killed allies and enemies both; however in this war…There is no village to serve. So I doubt I will have to kill you Archer-san, aren't you glad?"

Archer hardened his resolve and replied. "You sure talk a lot…is there a point to this?"

Suddenly, almost before Archer can react like his years of experience in constant fighting allow him to, Kisame drew his great sword and swung it to rest by Archer's head. Archer doesn't move, knowing Kisame did not intend to strike him. He could feel his prana being drained by the hungry sword at a slow pace…it was a warning.

"I don't mind opportunists. An opportunist can make a fight very interesting. Last night you and I were not exactly comrades, but two parties who had a mutual goal…However, from now on you will be teaming up with me, so I'd like to make it clear that until Berserker is dealt with, I will not tolerate you endangering me or my Master. This is no threat, but a promise. You will not live to see your betrayal through…

Archer's killing intent slowly rose to the fore.

"What makes you think you will survive next time? In the Holy Grail War an alliance is equal to leaving your back open to an enemy Servant. What makes you think I will trust you or you will trust me? In the end, we are enemies destined to kill each other until one Servant and one Master are left standing…"

"…Perhaps. But at least until Berserker is dealt with, I'd prefer to not have to devour you whole. I said I was used to killing my comrades for the bigger picture, so it is a simple warning…There's no point in you earning my anger when you don't have to."

This entire scene reminded him a little of a meeting oh so long ago. Only this time the scenery lacked a lot of water and wild sharks for comparison. Oh, what the hell. Let him do it for old time's sake.

"Do you want to know something interesting? A little fun fact if you will."

Archer said nothing and Kisame took it as an invitation to continue, turning his head slightly to gaze off into the distance. Archer is not fooled, Kisame has not taken his attention off of him.

"Some sharks are ovoviviparous, which means that the eggs incubate and hatch in the womb. Am I still holding your attention?"

Archer twitched slightly at Kisame's polite inquiry.

"Very well, where was I….Oh yes. You should know that sometimes the number of pups born is less than the number of eggs that were fertilized. Do you know why? That is a mystery on its own is it not? Why? Why would the number not match up?"

Kisame's smirk grew wider. "The answer is simple… Cannibalism-desu yo. "

After a short, dramatic silence, Kisame continued.

"The pups start eating each other within the mother's womb the moment they hatch. They start killing their siblings the moment they enter the world, viewing everything they see as nothing more than prey." Kisame turned to look down at Archer.

"As of today you and I are fellow members of the Anti-Berserker Alliance, so be wary… of me."

Archer clenched his fists as in his mind several hundred blades flashed, all ready to be made ad fired…but…

"…That warning…I humbly receive, however, Saber." Archer looked right into Kisame's eyes. "I'll return that warning with equal importance. Be wary of me."

Kiame's grin only widened as he lifted his great sword away from Archer's head and leaned it on his shoulder.

"Well, I am sure we will have a great time together…Hopefully we won't be the last two to face each other."

* * *

><p>As the two servants had their nice conversation, Tohsaka Rin managed to convinceforce Shirou to allow her to move in for the duration of the war, but as the two took their sweet time…

(Sound of sliding door open and close)

"Senpai! Good morning. I'm sorry I didn't come early, but Shinji-niisan needed[Sakura tends to avoid talking about Shinji's abuse, so she probably wouldn't say it like he had been abusive or demanding] something to be done this morning. Gomennasai."

"You don't have to spoil him so much Sakura. Shirou! I'm hungry!"

Emiya Shirou turned pale white at the very important fact he of all people should have realized…

Sakura and Fuji-nee…

* * *

><p>"WHAT! I REFUSE!" roared the Tiger of Fuyuki as she slammed her palm on the table with her furious might as she yelled at her ward. The morning started off great in her book.<p>

She woke up early.

Check.

The sun was up and no rain clouds in sight.

Check.

She felt healthy with no signs of illness or even the common cold.

Check.

Raiga-Jisama was full of spirit as always.

Check.

However…

As soon as she came to Emiya Mansion for her daily nutritious breakfast with her little Shirou, not only had her charge not cooked her meal, but he had a girl over. From what she could tell, the girl, who was one of her school's students Tohsaka Rin, had not arrived in the early morning, but stayed the night!

UNACCEPTABLE!

"What I want to know is why Tohsaka-san is here! What on earth happened last night?"

"Eh, how should I explain this…" muttered Shirou as he glanced at the twin-tailed girl next to him. He was no good at lying to his friends and family. Perhaps he was just too honest, but so far in his life the only secret he had was that he was a 3rd rate magus. Everything else in his life was open for viewing.

'Not only that, but I was completely caught off guard.' Shirou thought as he pondered what to say.

He was no good at this. That was clear, but to tell the truth is not even a choice at all. Also, Sakura was looking at him expecting an answer. Oh what should he do?

As Shirou was going a thousand miles an hour in his head, his Servant Saber, the infamous Hoshigaki Kisame, came down from the roof as soon as he felt two presences entering the mansion. One of them was a normal civilian by the amount of prana he or she was emitting, but the second one…the amount of prana coming off of this one was rather average. For a magus.

Honestly, compared to the twin tailed Ojou-chan it isn't that impressive or tamed. However…This one has prana that is far more potent and concentrated…Something…inhuman…

It was nothing like the unnatural energy deep within his master, no, this one was dark, old…and perhaps demonic. My, my, my, it seems this girl's power is unnatural. Perhaps it was implanted or sealed? Humanity never learns it seems. They still seek to make Jinchuuriki.

As a former member of an organization that hunted Jinchuuriki, Kisame was familiar with demonic power. By the feel of it, while it doesn't seem to be as powerful as Hachibi or Kyuubi's chakra, the secondary prana from the visitor is far more malevolent. If the Biju chakra was potent and chaotic than this one is potent and dark. It has a nasty feeling that makes him feel…Agitated.

Well, it wasn't so bad that Samehada couldn't absorb it, but the visitor, a girl, didn't have much energy compared to what seems to be the norm for magi. It would not take long for Samehada to absorb all of her prana. While true the amount of energy a person has doesn't determine the power or danger of a person, but in his experience powerlessness equal zero threat.

The feel of her energy reminded him of Berserker's master. That little girl had a lot of untapped negative energy that made her glow in Samehada's senses. However, it was painfully clear that the little fairy of Einzbern has no control over her deep and vast power. Such are Jinchuuriki. It is simply too difficult to control powers that never belonged to you to start with.

Not everyone is like the Hachibi no Jinchuuriki. That rapping Kumo nin Jounin is a completely different story and so is Yondaime Mizukage-sama…Among Jinchuuriki, only three mastered their Bijus' powers.

Yagura.

Killer Bee

And finally…

Uzumaki Naruto.

From at least 4 to 5 generations of every Jinchuriki…Some Biju only had a host three times. Some even had more than half a dozen due to failures to control them. And after all that sacrifice only three Jinchuuriki managed to master their beasts.

It shows how simply unnatural and difficult it is to tame the beast without a red shining mystic eye(Sharingan).

And honestly? He was very good at capturing them alive…Not taming them.

However…There still exists the question of who does she work for or what faction does she belong to? After all, no one makes a Jinchuuriki for amusement. Something like that is made for a reason and kept alive only if it is successful. While he will not pretend to understand these magi, this little missy might hold a lot more promise than she appears to.

As Kisame watched and listened from behind the wall, Shirou is now pushed into the corner by the hungry, angry, glaring tiger. He quickly met the eyes of his newest ally.

'Help?' he signaled her with pleading eyes.

Rin sighed as she watched Shirou fail to lie to his guardian effectively. He was about to break. She'd better help this guy soon. 'And he got himself a Saber, while I got an Archer…This is unfair.' thought Rin as she put up her best smile.

This will take only a few words and a few minutes…

Taiga lost in less than two minutes.

* * *

><p>"Hah…" Shirou let out as he walked to the school. Fuji-nee put up a good fight, but against the silver tongue of Tohsaka she fell like the wall of Troy. Good fight, but she was defeated. After their little argument, he quickly made some breakfast with Sakura's help, fed the tiger, and left for school.<p>

Next to him stood Tohaska Rin with a small smile of victory as she gracefully walked alongside him. On his other side was Sakura who was rather quiet.

While normally he would strike up a conversation with the subdued girl to lighten the mood, he was more interested in glancing behind him. He couldn't see it, but he can feel it. Kisame-san.

When he was about to leave for school he insisted that Kisame-san remain in the house, but the shark man gave him a glance with his circular eyes with slit pupils…words were unneeded.

At first he was scared how about Kisame would deal with people looking at the half fish, half man, but the Servant of the sword showed how stealthy he could be. So far no one noticed him, but Shirou can feel it…Don't ask him how, but he can feel his Servant's glance and presence. When he inquired about it to Rin, she told him it was the bond between Master and Servant.

Well…As long as Kisame-san remains hidden from view, nothing should go wrong.

"Well Emiya-kun. I'll be seeing you later." Rin said as she happily walked ahead of the three.

"Senpai. I'll see you later as well." Sakura said as she bowed and left. Shirou gave her a little wave as he too headed for class, but the moment Shirou crossed over onto school property…

Jinnnngggg~

He felt sick.

The sensation he felt could be explained as…sticky? And perhaps heavy with a hint of sweetness. Whatever it was, it was unnatural. The very air around him felt heavy and tainted. It's as if he's inhaling gas or perhaps helium.

The tainted taste in his mouth made him sick as he clutched his face.

"What…What is this?"

As Shirou pondered a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind him without him noticing the approach.

"Yo, Emiya, what are you waiting for? Any longer and you're going to be late." A familiar, oily voice said.

Shirou turned around to face his old friend whose relation with him had become strained over the years due to his behavior.

"Ah, Shinji…"

Shinji Matoh raised his brows. "What's wrong? Your face looks as if you saw someone died."

"Nothing. I just felt a little dizzy." Said Shirou as he looked away to try and understand why he was feeling like this.

"What's with that look Emiya? It's as if you're not glad to see me." Shinji said, smirking.

"No, nothing…" Shirou mumbled as he held himself together.

"Well, don't make me worry." said Shinji as he walked on. "You look as if you're about to die or something." Shinji said as he chuckled. Shirou didn't respond as he followed.

* * *

><p>As his Master left for class, Kisame was hiding nearby as Samehada reacted once again to foreign mana. This time the energy was more demonic in nature, but not a potent as that of Sakura-Ojou-chan.<p>

"Yare yare, it seems it's time for an early lunch. And I had such a fine breakfast too." Kisame muttered as he crewed on some bento his master given him this morning…While he can survive entirely on prana, eating meals can help and it is a pleasure only living enjoys.

"( I am not one to refuse free food.)" replied Samehada as it sniffed and shivered at the raw energy saturating the very air around them. It greedily absorbed the raw mana in the air to fill its reserves and sate its monstrous appetite.

Samehada had already sensed all the people in the school for potential danger. He can feel prana from Rin Ojou-chan, Sakura Ojou-chan, and Shirou-san. He also can detect Archer in his spirit form above and…What's this? There is another Servant here. Whoever it is in spirit form, but there is no escaping Samehada's senses.

"And I will get my daily exercise sometime today. What a joy." Kisame chuckled.

This day will be fun.

* * *

><p>"A barrier?" Shirou asked as he stood up on the roof after school.<p>

"Correct. There is another Master in this school and he or she has cast a boundary field around the school."

"Hmm. But why would they do that?"

Rin let out a suffering sigh at the redhead's lack of intuition.

"A Servant is a spiritual being, remember? I believe we already discussed how they can increase their mana level by devouring souls. It should be obvious why, right?"

Shirou had a blank look until his eyes widened in realization.

"It seems you get it now. The barrier is not designed to repel enemies. It doesn't even prevent danger. It was made to literally melt anyone inside into raw energy."

"What? You mean all our classmates are in danger?"

"That's right. Whoever the Master is he's planning to feed his Servant a very large meal."

Shirou punched his fist against his palm. "We have to stop them!"

"I agree. This might be Holy Grail War, but I will not have some random Master making my school a battlefield. Worse! A feeding ground."

"It's good to see the two of you are willing to seek out you enemy."

The two masters turned around to see Kisame standing behind them. The shark like man was wearing his usual getup along with the straw hat he had worn the night he was summoned.

"Kisame-san…"

"Saber."

"While you two have been studying like good children I have been…scouting." Kisame said teasingly. "My Samehada already located the Servant."

""What?""

My Samehada can not only absorb mana it comes into contact with, but it is also able to sense mana around it at very wide range. While this area is filled with mana, the Servant cannot hide from Samehada."

Kisame slowly turned to the other side of the school.

"For example, a large source of prana that has a human form is approaching a lone single life form by the first floor a wing away from here."

"What! Kisame-san we need to stop him!"

Kisame had an intrigued look. To him, the first thing he thought at such a situation is to how to use the attack to his advantage, but it seems his Master is putting the life of a stranger above winning…Oh well, he like a challenge anyway.

"Very well, Shirou-san. If that is what you wish." Kisame said as he tilts his hat. Shirou nodded as he ran towards the stairs with Rin following. However, the two of them were stopped by Kisame.

"Kisame-san what are you doing?"

"I thought the plan was to stop the Servant before he or she attacks…Does that not mean speed is of the essence?"

"Yes…"

"Then speed it is." Kisame grabbed both Maters' shoulders and in a blink of an eye they vanished leaving a twirl of swishing water behind them.

* * *

><p>Rider was looking down at her early dinner. While she would love to eat a well-made dish, her situation, unfortunately, demanded a unique diet…Human souls.<p>

For some goddamn (That means you Poseidon! And your entire little incestuous sibling and family!) reason she was summoned by a very troubled girl and was forced almost immediately to pair up with a pathetic boy as her Master. The situation turned out for the worst as her new Master was not only useless as a person, but also as a source of energy.

Because of the boy's inability to power her, her abilities were lowered to fit her into the realm of the living, and she was forced to steal prana from living people.

While she didn't mind eating souls, the fact that eating them and did not allow her to increase her strength very much was rather frustrating. That is the reason she set the boundary field on this school after all. She is weak…So her just as pathetic Master decided to create a feeding ground for her.

"Well, I do need a snack between work anyhow." thought Rider as she located a young girl walking alone in the school ground behind the back of the school. An easy meal.

She was silently moving around the girl, to observe her prey like an art lover to a masterpiece. Like a black cat she silently circled around her prey…Not a sound from her person.

Rider was now at the top of a tree…ready to attack.

She tensed her leg to launch herself to attack, eat, and leave in a flash.

As she was about to pounce she felt a foreign mana in the air.

"Ninpo: Kirigakure no jutsu."

The sound echoed around her in the mist, and she couldn't pinpoint the location. She looked around and saw a great deal of mist made of a thick layer of mana filling the air. From the corner of her eye she saw the girl suddenly pause and walk the other way. A work of an enemy Master? Or perhaps an effect of the mist?

Regardless, she was blind now as the mist thickened.

The mist was not only stealing her sight, despite her blind fold, but also her sensory skill to sense mana. Thankfully she felt the instinctual need to jump as she dodged an attack from below. A blunt object shattered the branch she had been standing on, and she fell to the ground to land on all fours.

"I missed? Well, I wasn't trained to be the master of Sairento Kiringu(Soundless Murder Technique) or as some say Muon Satsujin Justsu(Silent Killing) like that gaki Zabuza anyway."

The fog lessened, revealing the shark-man, his Master and his ally.

"Is this the enemy Servant?' muttered Rin as Shirou took a look at the beautiful Servant.

"…She is a Servant too?" The young magus couldn't comprehend how such a beautiful woman like the violet beauty could be a fearsome Servant…And one to target humans.

"She is definitely a Servant. She is not a Caster, she is too fit and fast for that class of boring scholars.("Hey!" Exclaimed Rin) Perhaps an Assassin or Rider."

Rin observed the purple dressed Servant and narrowed her eyes.

"I don't think she's Assassin. According to the past Holy Grail Wars, Assassin class Servants has always been one of the many personalities of the Old Man of the Mountain. So that leaves…"

"A Rider class huh…" Kisame mumbled as he stepped forward, pushing his hat up to reveal his face more clearly.

"Good afternoon. My name is Hoshigaki Kisame, the Saber of this war. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." Said the Kiri-nin with a smirk on his face.

Rider said nothing as she tensed for action.

"No reply? Very well…I 'll settle for you screaming!" Kisame roared as he charged at her with his sword in hand, crossing the distance between them in an instant. Rider responded to the charge with her two nail spikes in hand. She expertly jumped over his rush, but was surprised when Kisame spun around 180 degree to face her as he swung his sword at her in a upper strike, which she used the force of to fling herself away instead of fighting it.

"Kisame-san! Don't kill her!"

"What are you talking about Shirou-san? She is an enemy Servant."

"But it's not right to hurt women!"

Kisame and everyone else stared at the boy, but the boy was unflinching at their glances. Rin sighed at the boy's manly (if misguided) convictions.

"…Baka."

"Oh?...(Kisame swung his sword around him and settled down into a stance) then what do you propose? You don't expect me to let prey run free do you?" asked Kisame with a small hint of displeasure in his tone.

Shirou swallowed in slight nervousness.

"Capture her! This boundary field was made by her, but her Master could be in it. I refuse to let her Master run freely. Capture her alive for information!" compromised Shirou as he hoped Kisame will agree. He was surprised as Kisame's grin turned even wider.

"A capture mission huh? My master, Emiya Shirou. If it wasn't for the fact I am not in this world's history, I would think you know my past mission by heart. An Intel gathering mission along with a live capture mission…This is starting to feel like the old days."

Kisame charged once again. He swung his massive prana draining sword down at the smaller Servant, but missed, leaving a large crater in the ground.

"Strong…As expected of the Servant of the Sword. Your class' rumored power and might is not false."

"Finally a reply huh? And such a beautiful voice too…Too bad I have to take you alive."

Rider smirked slightly as she moved. "Try if you dare."

Rider rolled and got to her feet and launched one of her nails at Kisame. Kisame swung his bandage covered sword to block the attack and to get in close. Kisame swung at her, but the Servant of the Steed was much faster as she not only dodged the blow, but also came in for a perfect spin back kick to smash Kisame's chest.

Kisame brought his arm over his chest to take the blow. The bone shattering force behind the kick didn't even budge him.

"Is that all you have? I guess not all Servants are interesting as Lancer and Berserker." Said Kisame as he grabbed Rider's leg and threw her away. Rider flipped in mid-air to land on her feet, but during that time Kisame had woven multiple hand seals.

"Suiton: Mizurappa(Water Release: Wild Water Wave)!" declared Kisame as he spewed forth a raging torrent of water from his mouth at the Servant of the Steed. Rider nimbly dodged the high concentrated water blast, which smashed through several trees, but Kisame didn't mind at all. Instead he increased the flow of his prana to make his rather average water jutsu into a far more power attack.

"Water magecraft? Perhaps simple spitting of water? He seems nothing like a Human or Demi-god….So perhaps he is a monster from the Age of the Gods? I don't recall such a Monster or Hero." thought Rider as she flipped over the latest attempt to kill her only to be rewarded with the shark man coming at her with his strange sword.

Rider launched her nail from one side and sped around to kick Saber. But Kisame knocked aside the nail attack with the bottom of his sword and swung his sword one handed to block her kick.

"It seems the man believes my kicks from before were at my full strength..." thought Rider as she narrowed her eyes underneath her blind fold.

True, her stats with Shinji as her Master are weak. True, her strength is only at C and her Endurance at E at the moment, but her personal skill Monstrous Strength can boost her physical power at the risk of mental control. If she used her personal skill in a short, quick strike… He will never see it coming.

She spun around to pull on much force as she could, green scales appearing on her skin as her nails became longer, and sharper. As Kisame prepared to swing, Rider's long hairs covered her in her spin as she unleashed her kick, digging it into Kisame's open chest.

Wooosh!

VISHU!

The force of her kick managed to split the very air between them as the shockwave was visible, shattering the ground around them. The shock wave of her kick kicked up dust and leaves as Kisame's body jerked back.

"Ccccuah!" let out Kisame as he stepped back weakly.

"KISAME-SAN!/SABER!"

Shirou and Rin's eyes widened in fear as Kisame's chest was torn open by the brief power-up, which Rin noticed too late.

Rider finished her kick and spun in a graceful manner as her long hair settled down once again, gentle as autumn leaves.

Drip…drip…drip…

And the sound of dripping blood signaled her success.

However…soon she realized that the sound of dripping blood was not blood at all…Why? That's because she can't smell any.

"How do you like my Mizu-bunshin?" A voice said behind her, as she turned around in time to be nailed on her stomach as a white bandaged sword smashed her away into the thickest tree around, and even it wasn't enough to halt her. The impact hurt her entire body, and the moment she the sword made contact with her, she felt her energy leaving her. She didn't have much to begin with and has no fast means to replenish it. This fight is getting harder for her.

Rider scissor kicked the air to roll back to her feet. She clenches her side as she redirects her prana to heal her ribs as quickly as she can. Rider threw her chain nail to keep Kisame away; however Kisame simply knocked her chained weapon aside. However, this time Rider swung her chain around the weapon and nailed the first nail on the ground. It was flimsy, but enough to seal his sword for a second.

That one second was more than enough to get in close.

Rider came in for a spin kick, but Kisame blocked with his arm; in return Rider stood on her hands to spin and kick. Her upside down kick managed to nail Kisame on his cheek, which caused a small cut. She landed a few more kicks on Kisame's chest and shoulder, but they weren't very effective as Kisame showed no extreme reaction to her attack. In order to inflict more damage Rider flipped back on the ground to avoid a horizontal swing and while on her back, used her hands to flip herself up and at the same time nail both of her feet on Kisame's chin, knocking his head back in pain.

"OWO! Why you….I AM GOING TO SHRED THOSE PRETTY LEGS OF YOURS!"

As Kisame countered with a swing of his great sword, the Servant of the Steed quickly flipped away into the trees.

"Running away? As if!" roared Kisame as he raised his bandaged sword which slowly twitched to loosen its bandages to reveal its scales.

Rider didn't respond.

!

The rattling sound of the chain filled the air as the chained nail came flying at the back of Kisame's head. Kisame ducked low to avoid the nail, but left his back wide open.

Rider blasted forward, fitting her title as the most powerful frontal charge Servant and attempting to round house kick Kisame on his side. The Monster of the Mist noticed her attack miles away as he raised his left hand to block the kick directly. The sheer force of the kick sent a shockwave to the other side of Kisame as the ground broke apart and was cut away by the force.

"…Nani?"

"…You pack a quite a kick-desu-ne….However…" started Kisame.

Without making any hand seals Kisame launched a wave water from his palm(Suiton: Suihachi [Water Release: Water Bowl] **Note: he didn't say the jutsu out loud**. ) and blasted Rider away, drenching her from the water wave. The surprise attack which she didn't expect due to the lack of his strange hand motions managed to knock her on her back.

"A Half-ass fight like this will make this a dull meal!"

Kisame grinned as he smashed his sword tip into the ground and let it go. Immediately, he clapped his hands together.

"Suiton: Suishōha (Water release: Water Shockwave!)" roared Kisame as he hurled out a large quality of water from his mouth and the water rise up to a single large wave which tore through the back of the school and head straight to Rider.

Rider grimaced as she dodged to the side, but the exploding waves only turned to her direction and again and this time spread around her to smash her around, washing her away deeper into the forest.

Kisame grinned as he focused his prana to keep the waters he released in a contained shape.

"Suirō Sameodori no Jutsu (Water Prison Shark Dance Technique)" declared Kisame as he used his large scale field manipulation jutsu. Normally he would use Suiton: Dai Bakusui Shōha (Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave) with this jutsu, however he didn't want to show his more powerful jutsu just yet, and he didn't want to make the clean up any more difficult than it would already be.

He focused on the depth of the water than how wide spread it was. Suiton: Suishōha (Water release: Water Shockwave!) was nowhere near the scale of Suiton: Dai Bakusui Shōha (Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave), so it couldn't be too wide spread after all…It was at least 150 feet wide, and 100 feet deep.

Rider found herself underwater, so naturally she swam up to the surface, however she felt a sudden jerk on her leg as she was brought to a stop, and turned to see Kisame holding her leg.

"I don't believe you revealed your name yet ma'am." Kisame said, not that Rider could reply underwater anyway.

"No reply? Then I better pester you for your answer…In this water."

Kisame threw her deeper, then stood guard. In the water he was king. With his body and Samehada he could breathe under water without fusing with his sword. Here he had all the time he needed.

Rider used her impressive leg power to swim up, but Kisame blocked her at every turn. While she might be swift on the dry land, in the deep water she was slow…terribly dull.

Kisame on the other hand playfully swung at her with weak strikes, clipping away at her, batting her around and stealing her prana.

"Mizu Bunshin no Justu!" said Kisame as another him formed under the water. The newly made clone went after Rider while the real Kisame swam above the surface of his artificial water tank.

"This seems like a good time to use my trademark jutsu… Since I decided to use Suirō Sameodori no Jutsu (Water Prison Shark Dance Technique) might as well as use this one."

Kismae clapped his hands together and placed one of his palms on the surface of the water.

"Suiton: Goshokuzame9 (Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks)!" declared the Servant of the Sword as stream of prana came out from the tips of his fingers. It quickly formed into five large water sharks. The sharks swam towards Rider as she somehow managed to stab her nail weapon into the water clone's chest, dispelling it.

"Dinner time!" laughed Kisame as the water sharks swam around Rider from all sides, blocking her retreat and steadily advancing.

Rider looked up to see the five sharks heading her way. Under the water it was impossible to throw her chained nails, so she is going to have to fight in close range with short weapons against sharks…created by a Servant…Underwater…

She was not having a good day.

This was her useless Master's fault.

Rider swung her nails as the sharks came. Her strikes were fast for someone underwater, but to her horror the sharks healed any damage done to them in an instant.

"Hahahaha! That is meaningless! My feeding sharks can regenerate as long as there is plenty of water nearby and as I am feeding it prana…Trust me when I say I have both in spades."

Rider's expressionless face revealed her frustration as her air ran out and her resistance was constantly useless against the Saber's onslaught. The beautiful Servant felt her spiritual heart and lungs beg for air as they burn like the sun. She tried to resist by using her demonic nature's endurance, but that too was only a delaying move….She might have no choice, but to use her steed to get out of this one.

She tried to gather her mana to perform the necessary ritual, but one of the sharks bit into her nail and pulled it out of her hands. Another shark came in to tackle her away and a third one nearly bit her leg off. A forth one came to eat her whole, but this time she grabbed its mouth open to prevent it from eating her. She ground against the water shark and managed to punch it under its mouth, but as the damaged shark swam away it healed quickly.

She was battered from multiple directions and she didn't have enough power or air left to kick harder to destroy them more effectively. She had to endure more beating as she was knocked from all directions as the sharks refused to bite down on her, but simply smash her around with all their might.

She was a sitting duck, and couldn't even use her strongest Noble Phantasm…

"Mudada(Useless).I was the best agent in Akatsuki when it came capturing my targets alive. You can't out last me in a long term battle and you have no hope of getting out of that water without a Noble Phantasm."

Kisame saw that Rider is no longer moving and Samehada can feel her prana level. She isn't dead, but she is too weak to fight any longer.

The Tailless Biju released his prison and watched Rider fall to the ground. Not dead, but she was close. Unlike the living, if her prana runs out, she wouldn't even leave a body to be examined. Kisame strapped his sword on his back and loomed over the Servant of the Steed. She was breathing very lightly, but clearly was unable to move.

" Normally I would kill you, but my master demanded you alive…Just know that you were simply unfortunate…if it was Itachi-san, he would have brought you in with a glance…But me…At least I allow you to go down kicking and screaming."

Before he could continue he heard the sound of his Master and his ally running towards him. That was good, because he used up some prana fighting just now, and while he could easily refill to full capacity in a short time with no battles, it doesn't hurt to replenish his reserves through his Master's walking batte-Ally! Yes…an Ally.

"You two are rather late. Were you two watching from a distance?"

"H-How can we get anywhere close with your spell taking up all that space! Your fighting damaged the school forest!"

"Oh yeah! Tohsaka, can you fix this?"

"Why am I the only one here that can fix it? It was your Servant doing the wreaking!"

"Maa, maa…At least we captured this Servant did we not?" said Kisame as he picked up Rider by her right leg.

"Kisame-san! That's not how you treat someone!"

"…There is no satisfying you, is there Master? Well, fine." Kisame swung Rider up to carry her in his arms bridal position-

No, he didn't.

Because Rider wasn't there.

For several seconds, the forest was quiet, as all three people stared at where Rider _used_ to be.

The silence was broken by Shirou.

"Waaagh, w-where did Rider go!"

After Shirou's outburst, Rin's own shock faded and she quickly found the answer to his question.

"Her Master must have used a Command Seal to transport her away." She muttered, annoyed.

Kisame frowned.

"Tch, that hasn't happened in a long time…Someone got away from me when I had them beaten down. How annoying." Suddenly, the Servant of the Sword grinned. "Well, at least there's more fun to be had later. It should be interesting, now that both of us know how the other fights."

End

* * *

><p>Cicatrisation is "wound healing". It's not a different language, it's what the process of wounds healing is called.<p>

* * *

><p>Servant Stats!<br>Name: Hoshigaki Kisame  
>Title: Tailed Beast Without a Tail, Monster of the Hidden Mist, Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist.<br>Class: Godaime Saber  
>Holy Grail War: Godaime Sehai Sensou<br>Alignment: Chaos Moderation  
>Physical Stats:<br>Strength: B+  
>Agility: B<br>Mana: A+ (A++ briefly when especially large amounts of prana are absorbed by Samehada)  
>Endurance: A<br>Luck: A  
>Noble Phantasms:<br>Samehada, Shark Skin  
>Type: Anti-Unit, Support<br>Rank: A  
>Range: 2-8<br>Maximum number of targets: 10 people  
>The most terrifying blade of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, an elite group consisting of the greatest blade wielding shinobi of different generations, loyal to the Village Hidden in the Mist (Kirigakure). A sentient weapon made from the body of a demonic shark from the time of the Rikudō Sennin and the strongest of metals conductive to chakra at the time, forged together by the Sage's own abilities. Passed down from generation to generation of swordsmen, Kisame made the blade truly infamous when he wielded it after taking it from his former master, who he killed with his own hands. The great broadsword, dark blue and covered in large, sharp scales resembling those of a shark, is not suited for slashing opponents, but for shaving them, slicing enemies up. It is also unique in that it is a sentient weapon. It is most infamous for its ability to absorb, (or, one could say, consume) titanic levels of prana. Simply making contact with an opponent with Samehada will drain prana from the victim, and it can completely absorb almost any amount of energy up to the level of Divine Spirits. It can also destroy any projection made of prana such as summoned, non-Noble Phantasm armor, projected weapons, and others. Samehada is all the more effective in that it is constantly active, and does not require any prana expenditure to activate.<p>

In addition, Samehada and Kisame have a unique symbiotic relationship. Samehada constantly absorbs prana from Kisame, filters and digests it, and passes it back to Kisame, allowing each partner to benefit equally in a somewhat symbiotic relationship. Kisame can communicate with Samehada, though what the blade says, only he can understand. Samehada can sense concentrations of prana and lead Kisame to them. The greater the prana, the easier it is to detect, thus the sensory range is potentially limitless depending on the amount of prana. Kisame can also temporarily fuse with Samehada thanks to their unique bond. Through this temporary fusion, Kisame can take prana from Samehada to bolster his reserves, as well gain the Skill Symbiotic Cicatrisation, allowing him to regenerate most damage dealt to him, save for that caused by weapons which negate healing. The constant recycling of prana throughout Kisame's body from Samehada makes him, for all intents and purposes, immune to all but the strongest of mental attacks, increasing his Bravery by one rank. Kisame can perform a unique fusion with Samehada, integrating his body inside of the sword. As their prana signatures are practically identical after years of being together, even very skilled sensors cannot detect him, thus giving him D+ Presence Concealment. Samehada's hilt can also be extended to great lengths, and can be very flexible, allowing Samehada to act as a flail.

Samehada, as a sentient weapon, can operate away from Kisame should it have a sufficient amount of prana. Alone, Samehada has Strength E-, Speed E, Luck C, Endurance A, and Mana A+ to A++, and can remain in the world even after Kisame's death, so long as it has prana, but only if Samehada has a reason to remain, usually if it has come to enjoy the prana of someone with far vaster reserves than Kisame.

Samehada –Kirigakure no Kaijin (Monster of the Hidden Mist)  
>Type: Anti-Unit<br>Rank: A+  
>Range: -<br>Maximum number of targets: 1  
>A variation of Samehada, the Noble Phantasm based on the deeds he carried out using this monstrous Noble Phantasm that gave him the title "Monster of the Hidden Mist", and the countless lives he slaughtered all his life. It's activation fuses Kisame's body entirely with Samehada. Kisame takes on a shark-human hybrid form. In this form he gains Samehada's sensory and energy absorption abilities. In addition, Kisame's Mana and Endurance increase by a +, as does his Battle Continuation, and his Magic Resistance increases to A as a result of becoming something akin to a Monstrous Beast. Kisame also gains the Skills- Enhanced Regeneration, rank B,: Allows regeneration and healing of all injuries up to and including destruction of small number of organs, spinal cord damage, broken bones, including back and neck, destruction of portions of the body, and even severed limbs, so long as the user's brain and most of his body is intact, and he has sufficient prana reserves-, and Monstrous Strength, rank B. Kisame is also far faster, stronger, and more maneuverable in water.<p>

Maintaining this Noble Phantasm requires a very large expenditure of prana, and should Kisame's prana levels drop too low, Samehada will begin to devour him from the inside out. As such, Monster of the Mist can only be safely maintained for twenty minutes, usually.

Art of the Hidden World (Suiton)  
>Type: Anti-Army<br>Rank A+  
>Range: 1-50<br>Maximum number of targets: 200 people  
>An esoteric style of manipulating one's internal energies unique to a world where death is part of a life, and a profession to many. Known as jutsu, a mystical art taught and passed down by an ancient sage, in which the user manipulates the spiritual and physical energies of the body in certain ways through the use of twelve distinct hand signs, allowing the user to fight to command the elements in ways very similar to magecraft, among other uses. At this rank, in this particular style, Kisame is capable of performing any water style jutsu known, generally to greater effect than others due to his proficiency in water style ninjutsu, with which he changed entire landscapes, razed villages to the ground, and defeated opponent after opponent.<p>

Class Skills  
>Magic Resistance: D - Can cancel Single-Action spells. Magic Resistance of the same degree of an amulet that rejects magical energy.<p>

Personal Skills  
>Disengage: D - The ability to break away from combat. At this rank, one is able to slip away from enemies with enough effort.<p>

Expert of Many Specializations: D - A total of 12 different skills including assassination, sabotage, tactics, academia,

Projectile (Kunai and Shuriken): C- the expertise for throwing projectile weapons; in this case, kunai and shuriken. At this rank, thrown projectile weapons are now comparable to arrows.

Bravery: B (A) - The ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion and fascination. Not usable under the effects of Mad Enhancement. At this rank one is rarely affected by mental influences such as pressure, confusion and fascination. With Samehada continuously exchanging prana with Kisame and assisting him, this rank increases to A: at which he is immune to mental interference below the level of High Thaumaturgy, and even then they are reduced in duration and potency.

Battle Continuation: A - The strength of vitality for predicaments. Also, the ability to withdraw from combat and reach allied territory alive after being defeated. At this rank one can fight even with deadly injuries and can remain alive so long as he does not receive a decisive fatal wound.  
>A+ - Kisame can fight even with fatal injuries and remain alive so long as most of his torso and head remain intact. In Kisame's case, supplemented by <strong>Symbiotic Cicatrisation<strong>

Symbiotic Cicatrisation: B (A+) - The ability to heal wounds and injuries at a pace far beyond that of the body's typical capabilities through synchronization with another source. At this rank, one can regenerate from most injuries, including fatal wounds, so long as one is alive and most of the torso as well as the head remain intact. Kisame uses this ability primarily through Samehada, however under the right circumstances he is able to perform it himself with other sources. When using Monster of the Hidden Mist, this rank increases to A+: at which one can regenerate from any injury, including massive destruction of the torso and decapitation, so long as any portion of the body remains intact, and, in Kisame's case, the user has sufficient prana.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter was a very long term work...I WAS ACTUALLY MORE FOCUSED ON MY OTHERS FICS, BUT ONE DAY, MY BETA TOLD ME THEY ARE READY...yeahh!

I am now going to focus on my IS fic, a new fic I am playing around with, and my Reflection of the Sky fic...Tejhy are all coming close to finish, and now they are up to the BEtas now...I wish them luck.

This chapter took a lot of work because of the canon recap, but it was worth it.

Ch4 Two Broken Men...Dreams of Impoosbile World.

"So…That's what happened." Shirou said as he partook of Tohsaka Rin's batch of good quality tea.

It's been a long, less than pleasant day. First his Saber engaged the Servant Rider under orders to take her alive, but failed (though not due to any fault of his own). Then there was the massive property damage from the confrontation that Tohsaka had to cover up and fix. She even had to call that creepy priest and have him send someone to deal with the fallout.

After that they went to class…And after class they met on the roof to get rid of the boundary field around the school.

If there was anything good that came out of the situation, it was that Shirou turned out to be sensitive to inhuman and malicious energy. During their search for the spell marks around the school, Shirou found the marks with considerably less time and effort then it would have taken Rin.

After they got rid of a large quantity of marks the two Masters had a little quality time to strengthen their bond. It was a very private and heartwarming scene…If it wasn't for the fact that the currently astralized Archer felt like gagging and Kisame was chuckling in the dark.

"Don't mind us Masters. We're just standing here, unseen…Watching young love bloom." Kisame's voice, though polite in word and speech, held a heavy undercurrent of teasing. It easily broke the mood leaving the teens red-faced and embarrassed.

_"I don't know what's so wrong about it. Even I enjoy a few bits of truth in my world…Young love may be reckless…But it's pure."_ Kisame thought, lamenting his lack of such experiences…And the fact he actually killed the woman who showed anything close to such an interest in him all those years ago.

_"But back then…I was trapped in a swamp of lies…I am no longer like that…Not anymore."_

Soon the two Masters split up…Shortly afterwards, Shirou met with Matou Shinji.

"So? What did Matou-kun talk to you about?"

"I'm getting to that…You see, after we left Shinji showed up. He was nervous and not much like his regular self, but he told me he had something to say to me."

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>(Flash Back)<span>_**

"The Holy Grail War? You know about it too?" questioned Shirou, standing in front of Shinji at the Matou mansion. Shinji had invited him, saying he wanted to talk. At the moment, he had Saber hiding nearby.

Kisame was amused by the whole thing so he stuck around.

"Hmmph! Emiya…Don't you know anything about this war? The Matou clan…No, the Makiri is one of the three clans that made the ritual system. Hell, my family was the one who created the Servant and Master bond system, the Command Seal project." Shinji replied, his voice flowing with arrogance.

In direct contrast to his arrogant statement, Shinji was pale and clearly uneasy, fidgeting every few seconds.

"Wait! Tohsaka told me that the three families always have a say in the war…Shinji…Are you?"

"No way Emiya! You got part of it right, but I'm not it! Matou clan's bloodline went dry at my father's generation…I don't have any circuit as a magus."

"So that means…"

"Yeah…I'm normal…Unlike you." Shinji said bitterly. The teal haired boy looked behind Shirou, to see if the boy's humanoid shark Servant that nearly killed his weak Rider…He had heard that Sabers are the best, but the difference in power and ability was ridiculous!

"So Shinji…If your family is a family of magi then that means Sakura is…"

"Stop right there…" said Shinji as he brought a finger up, clicking his tongue.

"It seems you really don't know anything, despite having real magic circuits…In a family which practices magecraft only the eldest son is taught and the remainders are to be raised in ignorance or given away to a foster care. Since I don't have any magic…What make you think she does?"

"Oh, thank god." But before Shirou could relax he felt a sharp sensation in his hand. The one that displayed the closest thing he'd probably ever have (or want to have) to a tattoo.

"While your conversation is amusing…" said a voice behind Shirou as Kisame revealed himself. "What was the point of bringing my Master here? As you said, you are essentially a bystander….You have no prana for me to devour so let's get his meeting over with."

Shinji gulped audibly, trying and failing to muster a response, reduced to stuttering in seconds. Shirou tried to defuse the tension.

"K-Kisame-san. Please let me deal with this."

Kisame turned his beady eyes toward Shirou and stared into the boy's own unique gold ones.

"…Very well…However, please do hurry."

Shirou nodded and gestured to Shinji to hurry up.

Shinji cleared his throat, regaining his composure, and sighed. "The whole point of this is simple. I want you, who are a Master of a Servant, to deal with that damn witch on the mountain."

"A witch on the mountain?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you've heard about the gas leaks and the massive amount of people getting injured around the city right? From what I gathered it was done by a Servant hiding in Ryuudouji temple."

"Ryuudouji? Issei's home?"

"Ah…According to my sources there is a Servant up there who is gathering sprits, and quite a few of them. The amount she is collecting is vast and dangerous…At this point, being outside or inside the city can mean life or death. I hate it. It gets in the way of my youthful life, so I want to give this info to a Master of the War to deal with her. You want to be a hero right?"

Shirou sat there as he silently repeated what he learned.

"A witch…In the mountain…."

Kisame's eyes narrowed. The information this boy was giving them…It was full of holes. For one, how did this weakling find out about this? From the knowledge he has on the war and magecraft, given to him by the Grail itself, spying on Servants, especially one such as Caster, in her territory no less, is extremely difficult…How did this boy, who claims to be a normal person and from all Kisame can sense is indeed normal, learn this? What were these "sources" he claimed to get the information from?

Also, Shinji's statement about Sakura not knowing of the existence of magecraft was quite possibly untrue, or at least incorrect. His Samehada had caught a glimpse of the power buried within her…She felt somewhat like a Jinchuriki, a container of some form of energy separate from her own, and he doubted it was natural.

Finally…It was faint, but he could feel the presence of Rider in the house…She wasn't present at the moment, but there was a trace of her prana in the mansion.

So most likely Rider is the Servant of the Matou family.

Kisame would have preferred to continue his impromptu reconnaissance, but the air of this place is…sickening even for a monster who had spent his whole life fighting, committed numerous atrocities, and killed hundreds of people, often using methods designed to inflict a great deal of pain for his enjoyment.

His Samehada is complaining about the poor quality of the prana running through the house. Also from what he can sense there are a lot…a _lot_ of life forms with mana here.

He had recharged from his fight earlier with the prana from the critters, and Samehada was able to safely convert their sickening energy into his own. But it was not making the big scaled baby cease complaining even a little.

"… (Why am I even eating this crap? Let's drain the Berserker's Master! She has gallons of prana literally leaking out of her!)"

"Be patient Samehada. We'll get to fight Berserker soon anyway, so let's deal with this one step at a time."

Shirou and Kisame soon left the Matou house, and headed to meet up with their allies, who Kisame was privately starting to consider the possibility of calling the "Crimson Duo" for lack of anything more creative. Or amusing.

**_(End flash back)_**

* * *

><p>"And that's pretty much it."<p>

"A witch on the mountain huh…Of all the places why there…?"

"You knew about this witch?"

"No, but the fact that they picked Ryuudouji of all places is going to be annoying. The mountain is surrounded by a boundary field…a conduit of mana if you will. From what Archer told me and what I've read, and deduced, that place is relatively harmless to normal humans, but it will weaken spirits. It is a temple after all. In other words Servants entering the mountain will fight with a large handicap. And a Caster class Servant might be residing there. That means she or he is settled down with a working workshop and any enemies that try and storm the mountain will be weakened by the barrier."

"A barrier that weakens Servants? That's a big problem, then."

Kisame added his own two cents.

"Not even I can fight at full strength in such an area. Keeping an adequate amount of prana for combat requires that I have other forms of energy to absorb it from, so if there is a field that can sap my energy faster than I can refill…That could be quite troublesome. If we are committed to attacking we must go over all the details first."

"I agree." Shirou replied with a nod.

"I second that." Added the twin tailed Tohsaka heir.

"Also…The information we acquired might be true, but the intentions of our supplier might be less than benevolent."

"What do you mean?"

Kisame carefully thought over what he knew and answered.

"When we were at the Matou mansion…I felt a large quality of mana in the air…The boy may be dry as a desert when it comes to mana, but there is a Matou with live circuits. That means there is a magi in the Matou family capable of summoning a Servant, as is the clan's right as one of the three founders of the Grail War. Also, I found a trace of Rider's prana in the house…Most likely she is healing elsewhere while the Matou brat tries to get us to deal with the Caster in the temple…A somewhat clever strategy that my Master would have missed if he met the brat alone."

"Hey…" said Shirou, but he stopped after thinking it over, before slumping slightly as he realized the truth in his Servant's statement.

"So here is what I think. So far the facts regarding the temple and Caster are too little…We will gather information with Archer's all seeing eyes and my sensory abilities. After obtaining an adequate amount of information, we will consider attacking.

The two Masters nodded after thinking it over, and they set off for the night.

**_Kirigakure no Sato…The Hidden Village of the Mist…_**

**_The Village of the Bloody Mist!_**

Shirou was standing in front of a…village? This was the place he had seen before…and yet never seen before…A place he experienced, and yet never did and never will.

The buildings are grey and shady. It had Japanese signs, but it looked like ancient characters that are not used today…

The very air was moist and wet…Before him was a thick cloud of mist that covered everything in sight…A village fitting its name as the Hidden Village of Mist.

_Tak…tak…tak…tak…tak…tak._

Shirou heard the echoes of footsteps and turned around. Before him was a man he had become rather familiar with over the last two days…Hoshigaki Kisame.

He looked…younger…way younger than the grown man constantly sporting an amused grin that he was used to. The Kisame in front of him was devoid of the black cloak adorned with red clouds, and was wearing dirty brown shinobi pants and a shirt of the same color, over which he wore a slate grey padded jacket with a neck guard and elongated shoulder pads that had four slightly wavy lines (the same symbol as his forehead protector) inscribed on them. He donned the forehead protector of the Hidden Mist and on his back was not his prana devouring sword Samehada, but a simple katana.

And sudden Shirou felt his mind going numb…He could no longer take a step in this weird dream and blend into the memory of the old ninja.

"…Kiri-nin…A shinobi of the Mist…"

Shirou heard the whisper in his ears…it sounded like Kisame-san, but younger…Was it his thoughts?

"A Kiri-nin…That kills Kiri-nin…That is what I am…"

Shirou felt his body go completely numb…and embraced the sound of Kisame-san's voice.

…A pathetic fate…A sad world…And in this sad world…A child was born…A child born in Mizu no Kuni…raised in Kirigakure…Killed the closest person he called a brother…And became a warrior, a shinobi for the village…However, what he received in return was pain and grief that is indescribable.

"Do not forget Kisame…Guard the Cipher Corps and protect the encoded missive. However…You must not allow any of its members to fall into enemy hands."

In front of Kisame was a large rotund man with long orange hairs in artistic twin buns on the top. He had the Seven Swordsmen unique trait of sharpened canines and wore the Mist forehead protector. He wore blue robes, but most noticeably he had three green whisker-like marks on his face and carried the Great Sword Samehada on his back.

"You mission is to guard the codes, whatever it takes….I am sure you know what that means."

"Hai!"

However, it mattered not…It didn't matter what mission he was given, the result was the same…He will shed blood…blood of both enemy and ally.

Kisame leaned against a tree, observing the Cipher Corps. The Intel division members laughed as they ate their meals and talked before the fire…They were comrades that trust comrades…How foolish.

By a single glance the men around the fire were…less than desirable.

Even Shirou whose conscience was focused on Kisame's memory can feel Kisame's thoughts on these normal…weak looking men.

They were on a mission of great importance…But they were relaxed and calm…As if they do not realize they are in a middle of a mission that can end their lives. Hell they were eating in the middle of a forest with a bright campfire lit and playing cards in hand. This was a mission not a camping trip!

These men wore no armor or protective gear of any kind. They were donned in bluish-green robes and striped brown undershirts, and were not armed with anything…noticeable.

Shinobi are trained to be hidden and to be more than meets the eye, but Shirou knew…Through Kisame he realized that these men will not last 5 minute in an intense fight. They were soft…so soft…

Well…It didn't matter to Kisame. After all he is there to make sure these softies are brought back safely…as the third priority of his mission.

The clearing was filled with chatter and laughter…but none was shared with Kisame. It was as if he was separated from the rest by an invisible boundary.

Haaah…Nothing special really.

It doesn't matter which division or which corps he works with…Whether it be his power or appearance he is an outcast…Unwanted from the those of who favored brains and those who favored fists…What a pathetic thought…Since when did he care? Among Mist nin, there is no trust among comrades…It is a soft weakness that needs to be removed…That is all.

"Hoshigaki-san?"

Kisame looked up to see a young woman with a beautiful face and long brown hair…She looked dazzling…She had calming brown eyes and a small gentle smile. However, despite her looks Kisame know that she is a kunoichi of Kiri…A woman that killed a close friend to become a ninja.

"Won't you eat with us?"

Nani? What is she doing? Why would she do that? What purpose does it serve?

Her action was abnormal…it is not natural at all…it is something Kisame never felt before or experienced. It is something unusual…It is better to fear it…push it aside…Yes…To push aside and turn from the unknown is a natural human reaction…despite his looks he is after all…a human.

"Don't try and be friendly with me."

One of the men by the campfire turned to them.

"Hey, you heard him. Just leave him alone."

Another man nodded as he turned to the woman.

"He doesn't like to rub shoulders with the Cipher Corps eggheads like us." He added with a visible sneer.

The woman frowned at her comrades. "We're on a joint mission. Things like that don't matter." The woman stated firmly, but her comrades just snorted.

The chubbiest man among the Cipher Corps took a bite out of his kobe jerky.

"Besides, we wouldn't have anything to talk about. We're the brains. He's the brawn." The male speaker added, a hint of contempt directed towards the stronger shinobi in his voice.

The fat man tensed as Kisame stood up and walked toward them.

"W-What! You got a problem with me?" shuttered the fat man, but Kisame's round shark eyes were not even regarding him.

He eyed the ninja wire detection trap he set around the campsite…The strings were moving slightly, though it was not caused by the wind, but by…the movement of a being.

"We are setting out immediately."

The group set off into the trees at a moderate pace, but as they traveled the brown haired beauty struck up another conversation with Kisame.

"Hoshigaki-san."

Kisame turned to her.

"About earlier…How about after the mission?"

_"What's this?...What is she asking me? To eat…together? Isn't that what they call…day? Month? No wait it's called a date!"_

Oh, the future Seven Swordsman of the Mist was confused.

Kisame looked into the woman's eyes in confusion, but the woman only smiled faintly at him…Kisame would never tell anyone, but she looked so beautiful then…More beautiful than anyone he laid his eyes on. Even in the future Kisame will think, despite himself, that that woman who talked to him many years ago was more beautiful than Pein's partner Konan. And at that moment, he had no idea what to do?

"Well?"

Kisame didn't respond as they continued to travel through the trees.

_Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!_

Suddenly the group was attacked by a hail of kunai equipped with explosion tags.

"Scatter and regroup!"

The Intel Division members dodged the bombardment and regrouped on the ground.

They looked up to see that they were surrounded by a group of Konoha ANBU…Lead by a man with ANBU armor minus the mask and a nasty scar on his face.

"Surrender! You're surrounded. There's no way you can win!" warned the scar face, but Kisame grinned as he held the handle of his katana on his back in a low angle reverse grip.

"I heard about you…You're that brilliant guy from the Leaf ANBU's Torture and Interrogation Corps…Do you wish to test me?"

With surrender clearly not about to happen, the ANBU members all drew their swords and attacked.

Kisame danced around his opponents, slashing them left and right. One after another the enemy fell. Kisame noticed that the other members of the Cipher Corps were fighting back, but it was clear that they were outmatched.

Kisame quickly throw several kunai with explosive tags on them, creating cover for himself and his allies with the explosion and subsequent dust and smoke.

"NOW!"

The members of the Cipher Corps ran for the trees, but one of them took a kunai to the thigh.

"Guahh!"

The scar face looked at the fallen Cipher Corps nin.

"Capture him alive!"

Kisame turned to see the man was about to be captured. Within the memory Shirou felt a sudden unease. Something…very bad was about to happen.

The next words Kisame-san said froze him on the spot.

"There are too many to protect." The shark man threw an explosive tag equipped kunai at the fallen Cipher Corps member and didn't even bother to watch as the man's body was blown to bits.

And after that the scene repeated with different members of the Cipher Corps.

Weak men with low fighting ability were shot down by kunai wounds or explosion tags. Each time they fell and became a hindrance…

_Shhhhing!_

Kisame dealt with them.

"Wait! What are you doing!"

_Shhhhing!_

"Hoshi..gaki. Help me…"

_Shhhhing!_

"My leg…Those bastards got my leg!"

_Shhhhing!_

"H-Help me…We're comrades right?"

_Shhhhing!_

But soon enough…the surviving members were pushed towards a deep cliff.

The woman turned to Kisame.

"Hoshigaki-san, what should we do now?"

In a manner not entirely befitting the situation, Kisame looked at her and the remaining three members with cool eyes.

"Hoshigaki-san?"

_Shhhhing! _

"_Do not forget Kisame…Guard the Cipher Corps and protect the encoded missive. However…You must not allow any of the members of the Cipher Corps to fall into enemy hands."_

Shhhhing!

_"You mission is to guard the code, whatever it takes…."_

Shhhhing!

_"I am sure you know what that truly means."_

Shhhhing!

_"I understand…I will not allow anything so foolish to occur…before that can happen…I'll end them myself."_

Shhhhing!

The woman was the last to be cut down as she fell down on her front. She gripped the spot where she was struck as she looked into Kisame's eyes, disbelieving.

"Why?"

"Because killing my comrades is my mission." Said Kisame with the bloodshot eyes of a killer, but despite his severe, chilling tone and manner…She didn't look at him with hate, fear, or contempt. All other he killed had given him looks of those natures…But this woman he had only met today…Was looking at him with nothing but pity.

"W-What…A terrible…life…" Her eyes closed, as she fell unconscious from blood loss and pain.

Kisame silently walked toward her…and stabbed his sword through her neck,

_Whhoosh! Whoosh! Voosh! Whoosh!_

Soon enough he was surrounded by the remaining of the Konoha ANBUs.

"Why? Why kill your own comrades?" asked the scar face.

"Why?"

Why was he asking this…There is only one reason why killing a comrade is allowed, right? Intelligence…For a Shinobi intelligence is worth killing for. A small shard of information can shape the entire battle…To protect the information from being leaked…killing his comrade is allowed. After all, dead men tell no tales.

"You of all people should know the answer to that question. We cannot let our code fall into enemy hands. Besides, these guys would have spilled the beans right away."

The Konoha shinobi stepped closer, but Kisame smirked.

"If we survive this and are fated to cross paths again…Let's see each other then."

And with that Kisame jumped down off the cliff…With his hands painted with the blood of enemies and allies alike.

He is a Kirigakure shinobi that kills Kirigakure shinobi…All for the sake of the Hidden Mist.

**_( Scene change)_**

Shirou quickly realized that he was no longer in the middle of the forest where Kisame killed his comrades…All for the sake of protecting the codes.

Now he was looking at a slightly older Kisame-san with no armor, but with a bloody sword in his hand…Also, his mentor was on the floor, bleeding with metal stakes attached to chains embedded in his body.

"Kisame….W-Why…you…"

_Shhinnng!_

He was cut down.

Kisame looked at the still warm body of his former master and tossed aside his katana. He removed the Great Sword Samehada from the back of the corpse and strapped the bandaged sword on his own back.

He kicked the dead body once and turned to walk away.

"Good job, Kisame."

Kisame spun with his hand gripping the hilt of Samehada.

"I had a feeling that he would let his guard down with his student…And I was right."

In the darkness of the building was the Yondaime Mizukage. Yagura, the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi.

"He was collaborating with the enemy. From this moment on you are the master of the great blade, Samehada. And my direct subordinate as well."

Kisame lowered his hand and grinned. "That is, until you eliminate me too…Yondaime Mizukage-sama."

The lord of the hidden mist stepped out of the shadows. Though he was an adult, he had a young, child-like face and body structure, messy, light-yellow hair, pink eyes with no pupils and a stitch-like scar running from under his left eye, all the way down his cheek. He was small in stature and wore a grey, sleeveless shirt with the Kirigakure forehead protector attached to the front, short-sleeved mesh armour over which he also wore a green poncho along with a turquoise sash around his waist, as well as a green apron over his pants, and a pair of brown boots. His youthful looks completely hid his madness, for he was the man who started one of the bloodiest chapters in Shinobi history…The Bloodline Limit Purge.

"I can trust you because of who you are. You who have performed the dirtiest missions for the sake of the nation and the village. You have undertaken missions of betrayal…You are fully aware that this world is full of lies and deceit."

"I knew that from the first moment I killed a comrade." Said Kisame as he raised his hands to see it for himself…they were fairly clean, yet also covered with the blood of comrades.

"…Killing a Hidden Mist ninja despite being one myself. So what am I?" He looked up at the expressionless face of the Yondaime.

"Am I an enemy or an ally? What is my purpose? Where do I stand in this world?"

Kisame's gaze returned to his bloody hands.

"Where must I go? And when can I go to find my inner calm? There is only one thing clear to me…I am trapped in a false existence." Kisame lamented, his voice weary.

Suddenly behind the Yondaime, in the darkness of the hall he had entered from, the outline of a figure appeared.

"Then I shall release you from the pain of that falsehood." Kisame looked up in surprise, but the figure only continued, his voice deeper and without a doubt different from the Yondaime's.

"I will create a place where you belong."

Kisame quickly took hold of Samehada's hilt. "Who are you?"

The hidden man took no notice of his action and kept talking. "First, we will start with this nation. You have toiled to dispose of your comrades up until now. From now on, work with me as my comrade."

"You seem to have trust in me…But I still don't know who you are."

The man remained silent…But a radiant orb appeared in the darkness. A crimson red eye decorated with three black tomoe around the pupil…The legendary doujutsu of Konoha…No wait! The Uchiha…

"That glowing red eye, shining in the dark…I see…The one I believed to be the Yondaime Mizukage was actually you. To think the Yondaime was being manipulated by the Sharingan. Humph…This world is truly filled with nothing but lies."

Kisame grinned, eyeing the true Mizukage.

"But to think you have the visual prowess to be able to control the Yondaime, who is also the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi…Just who are you?"

"Uchiha…Madara."

Shirou was startled to see Kisame actually looked shocked. Just who is this Madara, to be able to elicit such a reaction from Kisame?

"How could that be? He's supposed to be dead. I don't believe you…Show yourself."

"Very well…You can decide whether to trust me or not."

The man walked into the light and revealed himself to Kisame and by default Shirou.

He wore sandals, and his feet and legs were bandaged. He wore a dark blue-black robe, with a green waistband and purple edges. His left arm, what was visible of it, was bandaged. He wore no visible undershirt, as most of his chest appeared to also be bandaged, stopping a few inches from his neck. His hair was long and spiky, and his face carried slight wrinkles. And his eyes were without a doubt the legendary Sharingan.

From that point onwards…Shirou heard the details of an insane scheme…A plan so mad that he couldn't comprehend it fully, but… Kisame had no such difficulties.

"Are you serious?"

"Ah…That is my plan…Tsuki no Me Keikaku."

Kisame grinned. "A world that I dreamt of…A place to belong…How interesting."

Shirou wanted to shout at Kisame how wrong this was, that there has to be a better way. However…Shirou could also feel the rush of giddiness, relief, and anticipation Kisame felt when he heard about the plan.

Joy…Hope…Passion…Oh, how could an undertaking like this make him feel so happy? Shirou understood why, but at the same time couldn't understand it.

"For the sake of a world without lies…I will lend you my sword."

* * *

><p>Shirou woke up shaking slightly, and looked around…it was his room. He tried to remember what happened last night, and soon recalled the dream…The dream cycle that Tohsaka warned him about…and he also remembered that after Rider got away he went to Rin's house to discuss both the conflict with Rider and the spell marks all over the school.<p>

And after that…

He met Shinji and learned of existence of the witch on the mountain…And he had a planning session with Rin again….

After that…He slept and dreamt.

"Kisame-san…Is the world truly full of lies? Was it really worth killing so many for?"

Shirou stepped outside of his room and was greeted by Kisame standing outside.

"How was your night Shirou-san?" the shark-like Servant asked.

"It was…enlightening." Shirou replied uneasily. Kisame turned to the boy, sensing his discomfort.

"Kisame-san…can we talk?"

**_A few minutes later._**

"I see…So you saw all of that…"

The two of them were now sitting in front of the dining table with two cups of tea before them.

Shirou nervously drank his tea and waited for Kisame to continue.

"Well I guess that is to be expected…The dream cycle is there to allow Master and Servant to view each other's past to create a powerful bond or at least to make plans to cover weaknesses or take advantage of past events."

Kisame turned to Shirou with his standard grin.

"So what do you think? Do you fear who you summoned my master?"

Shirou swallowed the saliva in his mouth and calmed himself.

"I…I didn't like the fact you betrayed your comrades…You should have protected and saved your comrades. You could do that and still protect your village. You are so strong Kisame-san. So much stronger than me…So why…"

"It was because I was living in a world of lies…I was ordered to kill my fellow Mist shinobi to protect the Hidden Mist and Mizu no Kuni. But I too was a Mist nin…So I asked myself why was I killing them? Who am I? An enemy or a friend? You must have seen it Shirou-san…I was living in an illusion…A fake so thorough that I was fooled into it all my life."

Kisame took a small slip from his tea and continued.

"A lie is not like a spider web that binds you, and makes you immobile…A lie is like a maze. You are walking through it, but the twists and turns will make you lose your way. Just like that…I was a brute who lost his way in the mist." Kisame narrowed his round pupils at Shirou.

"Much like yourself."

"Huh?"

"Just like you I too had dreams…I saw it Shirou-san. It was a terrible fire was it not?"

Shirou tensed at the reminder of the great fire ten years ago and clenched his fists

"You ignored them Shirou-san…Everyone and everything was burning, but you who were too little, too weak, unable to help anyone…The only thing you could do was watch them burn. But among over 800 people in the fire…You alone were saved. Some survived the fire true, but you were the only one to be 'saved' in the middle of the inferno…By your father."

Kisame's eyes were filled with amusement and something else…

"How amusing the work of fate is…You were blessed to survive the fire, but in exchange you were given a powerful guilt…The guilt of being the only survivor…The only one to be saved. And that is the source of it all…You feel bad that you were saved, so you intend to save everyone."

Kisame looked out into the yard, his gaze fixed on the morning sky.

"That is your lie though…You state that you wish to save everyone just like how you were saved. You wish to heal your guilty heart by saving all others…But that seems like a lie to me."

Kisame turned back to Shirou and looked straight into his eyes.

"I believe you wish to die…Saving others is not your goal. That is just an excuse… your real goal is to atone through death. Am I not right?"

"You're wrong!"

"How am I wrong? You have rushed at Berserker when I was brought down. You know that Berserker was too much for anyone, but still tried to 'save' me…What that truly a mean to help or to die?"

"You're wrong! I am not seeking death but trying save others! I want everyone to be happy!"

"Yet you don't have the power to do so. So what do your actions that first night represent? I hope you don't mean to say you had a guaranteed method of beating Berserker that night. If so, I fear for your already fragile sanity."

"No…No I didn't, but I couldn't leave you alone when you were hurt! I vow to be a hero! A hero that's strong enough to save everyone!"

"But to be that kind of hero you first need someone to be in danger…Does that not mean your ideal is a contradiction?"

"Even so. It's an ideal worth having!"

"A mindless ideal that bears no fruit is nothing but a senseless struggle. An empty tantrum. Such a simple, colorful solution doesn't exist!"

"I believe it does! You had such a dream too didn't you? You wanted a world without lies! So that means you fought for an impossible dream that was like filling a well with a spoon!"

"!" Kisame's eyes widen. Yes...he realized…He too fought for such world…He wore the uniform of the Akatsuki and became an international criminal committed to the Tsuki no Me plan….He did fight for an impossible dream, and he nearly achieved it, didn't he? However…

"The Tsuki no Me plan…Do you know what it is?"

Shirou nodded silently…Recalling the masked man's words from the dream cycle.

"Some people might say that Tsuki no Me Keikaku is a sham…A scheme that will bring about fake peace. However, that peace was still a form of a world without lies…I knew the flaws of the plan, but still worked to see it through. Shirou-san, if you walk this path…The solution you find will bring you great misery. I fought in a world where there were great powers still roaming the land. In your era…Such a dream is like a fairy tale."

"Even so…It's a dream worth having! I want to create a world where everyone will be happy. For the sake of a world where everyone can be saved…Isn't that worth fighting for?"

"…You intend to lie to yourself till the end? How foolish."

Kisame stood up and stared down at Shirou, his expression stern.

"At least I had the excuse of having a megalomaniacal leader who had a workable, feasible plan to do what he believed was the solution to the problem…Yours on the other hand is weak…weaker than freshly minted genin with no assistance. Your ambition is so grand, but you have no ground to stand on…it's pitiful to watch."

He slowly brought his hands up.

"However…I believe I now truly understand why I was summoned by your calling despite our differences and the fact that your heart is not tainted like mine…We are both mad…We are both trying to do the impossible. We are both looking for an impossible world where everything is truly perfect…A paradise to belong to." Kisame summoned a certain object from his past into his hands and watched his Master's eyes light up in recognition.

"T-That is-!"

"This sword has no name…But it's a weapon that is part of my legend." In Kisame's hands was a katana, in a black sheath, with a white hilt…The very same katana he used it to kill his comrades.

"As I man who has done some stupid things in the past…I can't say anything to stop you. However, I know there will be a day you realize how deep the lies of this world truly are…When that day comes you might have to slay everyone in your way to pave a path…this katana will be the instrument of your mad desperation."

He set the blade on the table beside the two men, and turned around.

"However…The place you wish to belong to…A perfect place for you to let go of your guilt…Do you believe it can be found on the battlefield?"

"…Yes…Yes I do."

"You are setting yourself up for disappointment. But I have nothing more to say about it. Hopefully your paradise can be reached in your lifetime. Unlike me who…"

"Who what Kisame-san?" asked Shirou, his eyebrows raised.

"Never mind…I put my life into the Tsuki no Me plan …I was not there to see whether or not it bloomed, however..."

Kisame looked over his shoulder at Shirou.

"Before my death, I was fortunate enough to learn that I wasn't such a bad guy after all."

Shirou stared at his Servant in a new light. Kisame had done many things he must feel no pride for…He tainted his hands with the blood of enemies and friends…He couldn't even imagine the idea of killing his friends…Rin, Sakura, Fuji-nee, Shinji, Issei, Ayako….He simply couldn't imagine it.

"Kisame-san."

"Hmmm?"

Shirou clinched his sword tightly.

"I…I don't have the power to make my own decisions and to support them….Can you….Can you teach me how to use this sword?"

Kisame's brows rose. This was rather unexpected…As always his Master takes a path that he least expects.

"…I never had a genin cell…One that survived anyway…."

Kisame turned around and walked toward the dojou.

"I can't teach you how to be a shinobi…But I can teach you how to wield that sword and more."

Shirou smiled as he followed the shark man…Feeling better despite what he witnessed in his dream, and the new responsibility he felt.

Tohsaka Rin…The Master of the Servant of the Bow, Archer, and the owner of Fuyuki stared blankly as Shirou held a katana and tirelessly attacked his own Servant.

She watched as the red head swung the katana at the blue skinned Servant with a horizontal slash, but the older man easily knocked the katana right out of Shirou's hand with a shinai(bamboo sword), despite the difference in weaponry.

"Naive! Unfocused! You're not swinging to kill me! A sword wielded without the intent to kill is just a decoration ! You are attacking me, so strike to maim! Kill! Slaughter! You will be the key!" the Saber class Servant declared as he put his Master through his paces.

"H-Hai!"

Rin turned to look blankly at the Servant standing beside her.

"How long has he been training?"

"Since this morning, shortly after you and Sakura Ojou-chan and Fujimura-san left." replied the second shark man who was simply standing there with a smirk.

That morning Shirou somehow convinced Taiga that he had something important to do, so he'd be skipping school for a few days.

At first the Fuyuki no Tora was completely opposed, but the boy's sincere and determined look convinced her otherwise…Rin was impressed at the red head's resolve.

As soon as school was over she came to check on him and found…this.

"And this training method?"

"As he is now, Shirou-san won't be able to be any use anything I know in combat…He is too old to begin utilizing chakra and he still needs help with his magecraft studies…The only way for me to train him now is to spar with him regularly to improve his instincts, reflexes, skill, and to a smaller extent, his physical abilities. He has no time for slow and steady training…Killing my Mizu Bunshin will be worthwhile task, given the circumstances." Kisame intoned, grinning.

Mizu Bunshin no jutsu is a jutsu developed in Kirigakure. Its original purpose was to deploy numerous relatively weak copies to assist the caster in misty areas, or in battles on or near water.

A Mizu Bunshin is a doppleganger formed from nearby water and shaped into the form of the caster. The function of the jutsu is the same as most other solid combat clones; however, a water clone only has 1/10 of the caster's power, chakra, endurance, and speed.

But a clone made by a shinobi of Kisame's level is more than enough to be a decent instructor from hell for a novice like Shirou.

"Ora!" yelled out Shirou as he forced his sweat drenched arms to slash his weapon down at the clone, but the copy of Kisame blocked Shirou's strike with ease.

"You get in too close with no guard! Your steps are too heavy! You need to protect your own rhythm!" the Kisame clone declared as he grabbed the boy by his face and tossed him across the dojou.

Shirou let out a short, pained exclamation as he hit the wall, followed by a groan as he slid down. He lay there like a sack of dead meat, panting like a dog.

"A freshly minted Kunoichi from Konoha can beat you! If you were a Kiri-nin then you would have died already! "The Mizu Bunshin yelled as he grabbed the boy by the leg and threw him once more across the training ground. The young Master hit the ground, rolled a short distance, and knocked down several wooden swords on the wall.

Rin continued to stare at the rough and barbaric training and sighed.

"You know that Fujimura-sensei was upset that Emiya-kun decided to skip school."

"It can't be helped…If Shirou-san wishes to his dreams, bitter medicine and bone shattering tortu-I mean training will be the perfect remedies to either wake him up from his dream or harden him into something resembling a mist shinobi."

Shirou raised himself to his knees once more as gasped for breath. His body felt like it was on fire and his newly acquired bruises ached like no other.

He has been training since 8 in the morning, and only took a break for ten minutes every two hours. Kisame has been training him to wield swords and teaching him methods of hand-to-hand combat to expand his horizons.

"You have a talent for swords…But that's it…Talent means nothing unless you polish and hone it."

Kisame could not train him to wield swords by teaching him katas, and slowly building him up. He could only teach him to dodge, duck, roll, and go for an instant kill. Hard, brutal training, as close to real combat as possible, is sometimes the best possible form of training.

Shirou had learned that the clone was actually considerably weaker than Kisame himself, but this clone is still stronger than damn near the vast majority of modern magi…Definitely a scary thought.

"Do you want to call it quits?" Kisame asked politely, but that only flamed Shirou's determination.

"Again please!" he yelled out as he got into a proper stance with the katana…And got smacked away once more.

* * *

><p>"Hahh…That hurt…" Shirou declared as he walked out of the supermarket carrying a bag of groceries.<p>

It was the third day of his training and he had recently left to buy some stuff for dinner.

During his absence from school, he mostly remained in the dojou to train. But today he discovered that the fridge lacked any form of proper nutrition, and ingredients were sparse. So he set off to buy some. Kisame had initially wanted to accompany him to ensure his protection, but Shirou assured him that he would be fine, confident he would not be attacked in broad daylight around people, especially considering the short distance between the Emiya mansion and the supermarket.

When he asked Kisame what he wanted the Monster of the Mist stared at him for a few seconds before replying.

"…Any form of sea food will do. However, shark fin soup is forbidden." The Servant stated, his dark warning tone leaving no room for discussion. No sir, no shark fin soup in the Emiya house.

Suddenly the red haired Master felt a hand tugging on the back of his shirt. He turned around. "Yes? How can I help yoOOUUUUU?" Shirou exclaimed, sliding back into a defensive stance. The ease with which he performed the almost unconscious action was testament to the results of his training.

"Y-Y-You! What are you doing here!"

The person standing before him, the one who had terrified the courageous aspiring hero for justice, was a young girl with ruby-red eyes and long silver hair wearing a rather expensive looking purple coat and hat…Oh, she was also the one who tried to kill him a few days ago.

The small fairy smiled, curtsying in greeting.

"Pleased to meet you again, Onii-chan."

"D-Don't tell me…You plan to fight here?" the amateur magus stuttered, glancing at the three Command Seals on his hand.

"Hmm? Why? We can't fight when the sun's up, you know." She frowned slightly.

"But, you're…You're…"

The little girl smiled once more.

"My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. It's kind of long, so call me Ilya. What's your name, Onii-chan?"

"Me...?Well my name is Shirou…Emiya Shirou."

"Shirou Emiyashiro?"

"Emiya…Shirou…"

"Emi…Yashiro?"

"Emiya Shirou!" Shirou exclaimed, before spotting the amusement in her eyes… she is playing with him.

"Come on Onii-chan! I even left Berserker home…So let's talk, okay?"

* * *

><p>"How did this happen?" Shirou muttered, now at an abandoned park with the Master of Berserker.<p>

"Oh yeah…it was her sad red eyes…Eye that only those who are lonely and isolated can have…"

The girl who is supposed to be one of his greatest rivals in the war was playing on the balance beam, laughing playfully.

"Neh, neh, Oniichan, let's play."

"Eh? I thought you wanted to interrogate me for information on Saber?"

"That's boring. Let's talk about something more fun…"

"…Then what do you want to talk about?"

"I really don't talk a lot with others so-!" she was cut off as she slipped and fell, but she managed to land on Shirou's legs. Shirou quickly caught her; staring down at her with uneasy eyes…Despite her cheerful (and occasionally terrifying) manner, she seems very lonely. 'She said she doesn't talk much with others. How isolated is she?'

Suddenly, the little girl hugged him closer burrowing into his chest.

"…Ilya?"

"It's cold." She said, rubbing her face against his chest.

"Ah…It is rather chilly today….Oh yeah, where do you come from Ilya?"

"Me? I come from Germany, the Einzbern castle located in the Einzbern Forest…it's a cold and snowy place where it is all white and blank."

"If you were born in a cold country shouldn't you have tolerance against low temperatures?"

"I do. But I don't like the cold…I like warm things more than cold." She said, sounding somewhat sad and depressed.

"However…" suddenly her tone got brighter.

"I like snow…It's like my hair. My father said I inherited it's from my mother and it's very beautiful."

Shirou smiled, and patted her on her head.

"Ah…You do have beautiful hair, Ilya."

'It's hard to believe this lonely and sad little girl is…Berserker's Master.' Shirou thought, regarding Ilya with pity. He can still remember the sheer fear he felt when he saw that bronze mountain of muscle that towered over even Saber…And to think he is training in preparation of fighting that thing….Life's crazy.

"What did you inherit from your father?" Ilya asked, gazing at Shirou.

"Me?(flash of Kiritsugu's face)…I didn't inherit his blood or form…But I inherited something special…His dream."

"His dream?"

"Yeah…I'm too weak to fulfill it, but I'm training hard to get there…To be a man that father can be proud of."

Ilya stared at him hard, an unreadable look on her face. Before he could ask her what was wrong she suddenly turned away sharply, looking off into the distance.

"I-Ilya?"

"I need to go." She said as she hopped off his legs and ran off.

"Ilya!"

"Berserker woke up!" she called over her shoulder, before vanishing into the crowd.

Shirou followed with his eyes, feeling quite bemused, before sighing and walking back home.

* * *

><p>"Hahhh!"<p>

_Tack!_

"Not enough!"

Shirou was once again fighting the water clone. His steps ad moves had far exceeded how he had started off, but in the end he was merely minty fresh genin level.

Shirou somehow found a rhythm with the katana he was wielding as he slashed left and right with a fairly coordinated stance and reverse ninja style. He simply remembered how Kisame fought with the blade he currently held in his dream…While he used it to kill his comrades as well as his enemies, but Kisame's steps, and attacks were all far, _far _more graceful and agile than what he is dong.

_Clank! _

This time the doppelganger had to block with a kunai instead of a wooden sword, but the result of the clash was Shirou being knocked away.

"You have improved…But you are still cannon folder at best." The clone stated as he stared down at the redhead. He took a step forward, then suddenly stepped back to avoid a low slash to his leg.

"Not bad my Master, but not good enough."

As the two continued, Kisame was watching over the fight alongside Rin on the sidelines.

"This has been going for three days…While I can see that Emiya-kun is in better shape, but for the Grail War…" said Rin as she trailed off the obvious.

"True. He's not in a desperate situation capable of bringing out the deep potential in him." Kisame muttered.

A person can accomplish amazing things under the right circumstance and situation. Powers like Kekkei Genkai or latent talents usually emerge in life or death situation.

Kisame stared at his struggling Master as he pondered. While his Master's reflexes and instincts aren't bad, he has no edge or special feature to make it his primary focus or skill. The katana in his hand was more of a symbol than a front line weapon against a Servant…Emiya Shirou needs to develop something that only belongs to him and him alone. Something he can specialize in, something he can excel in.

"But what can that be? Reinforcement? No, that's nowhere near enough." Kisame wondered, an idea coming to mind…A risky idea.

There is no choice after all.

"Hey Rin Ojou-chan…Listen to what I have to say."

"Huh?"

"Hahh!" Shirou yelled out as he slashed at the clone's guard, but the clone side stepped and backhanded the boy away.

"Haa…ha...ha…" the boy panted as he wiped the sweat out of his face, but the moment his gaze was obscured by his sleeve, Kisame's eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, the Servant of the Sword burst into action as he grabbed Rin by her head and shoved her to the floor. Almost before he had stopped moving Archer appeared in an unseen blur of movement with both dao drawn even as Shirou spun towards his Servant.

"Kisame-san! What the hell are you doing!"

"Your progress is too slow Shirou-san….I have decided as a participant of this Grail War to get rid of this enemy Master."

"Stop! She's an ally!" but Shirou's eyes widen in realization after his declaration…Kisame had killed allies before.

"Saber! Let go of me!" Rin yelled, as she struggling, but Kisame harshly put more pressure down on her, forcing a high pitched moan of pain out of the young Master.

Archer glared daggers at Saber, teeth grit slightly, fire in his eyes as he poised to attack.  
>"Okay stop right there Archer…Or I will kill this girl right now!"<p>

"…Servants don't disappear instantly after their Master is dead, and as a Servant Archer I can survive up to 2 whole weeks…. But I only need an instant to kill your amateur fool of a Master!"

"You will do no such thing!" Kisame declared as he brought his left hand into a seal.

"I have set multiple explosion tags around this building and all set to blow if I get it a signal! There are enough explosive tags to level an entire street in an instant! Do you believe you can kill him and escape here faster than that?"

"You're bluffing." Archer stated, no signs of uncertainty apparent in his voice or appearance.

"Am I?"

"Emiya-kun! The Command Seal!"

Shirou jerked at Rin's cry. Of course! Shirou was about to use his Command Seal to stop Saber's suddenly betrayal, but suddenly…Fear. The world shrunk, until the only thing in the world was…fear. Terror. _He was going to die he was already dead fear fear fear the sky has fallen on his shoulders blood so much blood terror fear red blood so much he was already dead fear afraid his life is being squeezed out of him he moves he dies he moves he dies fear fear fear **fear blood death terror**_ **_already dead MAKE IT STOP!_**

And suddenly, it was gone. He gasped like a drowning man suddenly discovering he can breathe. His eyes danced wildly, sweat pouring down his face, as he locked eyes with his Servant, who no longer emitted the same terrifying feeling, but was still a sight that inspired fear in the young Master, given the circumstances. It had only lasted an instant.

"Don't move! If you do I'll kill this girl!" Kisame had already brought out Samehada, and the Great Sword devoured Rin's prana like a shark feasting on a bloody carcass and soon she was too weak to even move, or use her Command Seal.

"Shirou-san…This training of ours is too slow…To effectively create a warrior is through bloodshed…You've seen it right…Kirigakure's graduation method."

"?" Shirou was beyond confused, and afraid, though he was slowly recovering.

"I want you to do something somewhat similar…I want you to kill Archer…." Shirou felt his head spinning and his heart racing madly. What…Why is this happening!

"I…I can't!"

"Then Rin Ojou-chan will die…Either Archer kills you and I kill him, or we all die when I use the tags, and this war will continue to shed blood! And this time they will have died because you were too weak!"

"KISAME!"

"Morals or victory! You need to realize that world is not black and white! If you want to save Rin Ojou-chan than stab Archer!" roared Kisame as he flared his killing intent, though not as much as before, to pressure Shirou.

Again, a vice constricted around Shirou's heart…but this time he felt no uncertainty, no fear. Instead, Shirou felt his blood boil as he began shaking, but not in fear. His body heated up…It was hot like molten steel in his spine.

"I won't do this!"

"THEN YOU WILL DIE!" Kisame roared as three water clones burst into existence around Shirou, all armed with copies of Samehada, but this time Shirou saw red…And at that moment something in him snapped.

"OOOOHHHH!" Shirou roared, as he slashed the clone to his left with a speed he had never displayed before. He reenacted Kisame's moves from his dream as he killed Kisame…his 'Ally.'

"Not good enough!" Kisame roared as another clone sent a two handed overhead slash at Shirou. Shirou quickly brought up the katana used to kill comrades to block the attack, but the clone's blow was heavier than before and it managed to break the frailer katana into two! He was lucky, the Samehada only glanced his front, though that was enough to cause a bruise to form. Shirou didn't notice.

"Dorya!" yelled out Shirou. He didn't hesitate at all and thrust the broken blade into the clone's side, then grabbed the broken shard of his katana in mid-air. Ignoring the pain, which he didn't even feel, from the slash on his palm he stabbed the metal shard into the water clone's neck…destroying it.

Acting on the distraction made by Shirou, Archer burst into action, but the moment he moved towards the real Kisame he was stopped by another water clone of Kisame who appeared in front of him.

"This experiment is not over yet…So sit down Archer-san." The clone murmured.

"Nani?" Exclaimed Archer, before his eyes widened in realization.

"Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique)!" the clone called out before his body burst into a surge of water that reached for the Servant of the Bow.

As for Shirou, he was now facing the last Kisame clone.

"It seems you are weaponless…And now this little girl will die for your weakness…in the end your ideal was all talk and no bite!" Time slowed down. Kisame slowly brought his sword up.

"NOOOO!" Shirou roared, his hand out in front of him as he reached for something…Anything!

Suddenly he felt something open inside of him…And then the pain erupted and his mind was invaded by a storm of information.

He had seen this before…The night he summoned Saber….

It was an altar…An altar with seven unique blades on it…All works of art…Each a treasure to behold…

Any of them will do…If he has even one of them…He can save Rin!

"OHHHH!" he yelled as he rushed into the final clone's guard. His arms posed in a sword stance, but no sword.

"Just because you are weaponless…DON'T EXPECT ANY SYMPATHY!" the clone roared as he swung down…But….

"TRACE! ON!" the red head yelled.

_SHHHIIIIING!_

In an instant, the clone was bisected by a large blade that was as large as its welder. The clone's eyes widened as he recognized the blade in the instant his form remained before dissolving into water.

"…How?" But the clone was not answered as turned back into the element from which he was created. Shirou carried a large blade that was armed with an edge on one side and dull on the other…It had a wide circular hole at the top area of the blade and a semicircle cut off at the bottom. The blade itself was grey with a silver edge, and shined as it showed how sharp it was.

_Whhoosh-Rrrrhhhghh!_

Shirou was flaring an uncontrollable amount of prana, to the point it was actually visible as it surged over and around his body. He slashed again and again at thin air, dozens of times, the blade twirling around his arms as if he had been wielding it for years, before he charged at the real Kisame, his speed light-years beyond what it had ever been. A speed no human could ever hope to achieve. A speed rivaling that of a Servant.

The real Kisame quickly threw the twin tailed girl aside and blocked the first blow with his Samehada, the collision of blades resulted in an explosion of force that shattered the windows, cratered the floor, and ripped apart the interior of the dojou.

"That sword…It can't be…"

Shirou said nothing as he slashed once more, splinters flying around the two combatants, but this time Kisame blocked the sword with a swift combo of slash and spin as he managed to knock the red head backward and charged forward. Incidentally destroying even more of the dojou.

"Hahh!" He swung his chakra devouring sword and aimed at his Master. His Samehada slammed on the bucher knife and broke the thing into two.

CLANK!

But Shirou was relentless and spun around with the impact of the attack that ripped up the floor, and used the broken blade to slash at Kisame's unprotected neck.

_Whoosh!_

_CLANNGGG!_

But it was blocked by Archer's twin dao.

"Nani? Wh-?" but before he could ask he was knocked out by a swift chop to the neck.

"…Still not enough training, but you fought to kill. And did pretty good. Well done…Shirou-san." Kisame said, as his killing intent vanished.

He glanced back at Rin, who had ended up behind Archer near the doors (thanks to said Servant), as she got up from her sitting position and smirked.

"Not bad acting."

"Why, thank you. It was easy compared to the front I always put up at the school. But this is…"

"From what I'm sensing it seems as if the unused dam of prana in him suddenly burst out in response to his emotional state and now it's making a mess in his body."

"We need to close the switch in his magic circuit." Rin murmured worriedly.

"I have a better idea. If his prana is flowing uncontrollably that means it's trying to fill the part of his body where the paths are not wide enough or not used to such a surge…it's risky, but if you control that surge…"

He trailed off as the hilt of Samehada on his back extended and undulated like a snake as it wrapped around the unconscious boy's hand, carefully absorbing and releasing prana at the appropriate time and area. The sentient sword controlled the boy's flow and slowly adjusted the flow to a comfortable state in the boy's system.

'He's like an academy student who tends to act before he thinks who suddenly opened one of the eight inner gates' Kisame thought. 'It's a dangerous and agitated state, but…If Samehada controls his flow of energy and slowly widens the paths of his circuits…'

The idea has great potential.

This plan will mean that he can open the blocked prana path between the Master and Servant, allowing Shirou to supply Kisame with prana as he was meant to. At the same time it he would no longer have to really worry about running out of prana in a battle.

He brought Samehada back to its place on his back and turned to Rin.

"Ojou-chan, can you take care of him? I'm a swordsman not a magus, so I don't know much of the effect of opening the magic circuit. But Samehada has tempered the rampant prana, so he's no longer in any immediate danger from that angle."

"Oh, fine. I have to do everything around here." Rin muttered as she brought the unconscious boy's arm around her shoulder, supporting him.

"A little help, if you don't mind. What kind of man are you?"

Kisame wordlessly made a water clone which picked up Shirou and carried him out of the dojou, intending to place the redhead in his bed.

"Well…Leave him to me for tonight. I'll fix the damage in the dojou." Rin declared, before exiting the dojou, leaving Archer and Saber behind.

"Well, that was interesting…" Archer stated, folding his arms.

"True, I was expecting him to fight harder than his limit or perhaps uncover some sort of specialty…But this was truly unexpected." Kisame said, nodding towards Archer.

He picked up the broken remains of Kubikiribochou, the Beheading Kitchen Knife of the Seven Swordsmen.

He pricked his finger on the sharp edge of the broken blade and his eyes widened as the blood was very absorbed into metal, a tiny portion of the broken half of the blade growing out of the remains. This is the ability of the Kubikiribochou, the ability to reform itself from the iron harvested in the blood of its victims.

Archer observed the phenomenon with slight interest. He was not surprised. He already knew everything about the sword since he lay his eyes on it.

"This is a very interesting discovery…A very peculiar ability my Master has."

Kisame eyes fixed on Archer.

"Did you know Archer…There are methods of controlling metals with prana to make makeshift weapons. However…He was not just imitating a sword…He actually made a copy of a blade, one that's damn near exactly like the original…This Kubikiribochou actually reformed with blood. That's the real ability of the sword. This proves that he is not making a fake that merely looks the same, but he actually copied the inner workings of the sword. This is a talent that can be deadly when trained and refined." Kisame murmured as he picked up the broken remaining of the Beheading Sword.

"Have you ever heard of ability like this?"

Archer was silent for a few seconds.

"Can't say that I have." He shrugged. There was no hint of any falsehood in his eyes, posture, or voice.

"Really...? For some reason I find that difficult to believe." Kisame muttered, his usual grin planted firmly on his face as he walked away. This training session revealed a real goldmine.


	5. Chapter 5

**Helloe, hello! This is Fangking2 after being silent for a month or so...or was it longer? I am soooo sorry for all my readers and fans for taking so long to update. My life has been rather busy with work, college, and other stuff that I had no time to write all my fics and my BETAs were busy on their end as well.**

**I was hoping to update this on Thanksgiving, but man…its little late.**

**This fic when I originally finished it weeks ago was rather stale, but my beta Eva-Sayajin has done a fabulous work to improve it. The fight scenes on the Servants were his addition and he rewored and improved my fight scenes to be more…professional? Man oh man we argued like a married couple on the details and the facts regarding the Naruverse and Narutoverse to make the story accurate and not as out of proportion.**

**Anyway, I don't know what to do without him. This chapter is truly a two man job on grammar and in story. Please gave the man a big hand.**

**On lighter note. I gotten a lot of new stories done and ready for BETA. Few people might know, but I am working on a MUV LUV fic and a new Fate Zero fic, a challenge set by Infamous Man. The Reflection of the Sky ch13 is ready as well…But it needs to be BETA'd and to do all that with my other fics on standby…it will take a while…**

**I am also working on The King Shackled by the Black Chain of Heaven, Monster in the Abyss, and the Soaring of the One Eyed Dragon. However these fics are a slow going work, that I can't focus on as much as the other ones. Please be patient.**

**Now, now…Enough with my ranting…Let's get started!**

* * *

><p><strong>Ch5 Brave Snake, bites the Shark!<strong>

* * *

><p>"Faster! Make your grip firm, but not so much that you can't maneuver your blade! What do you want to be? A piece of cannon fodder or a true swordsman?!" drilled Kisame as he blocked another swing from KubikiribHocho.<p>

"Ugh-HAA!"

The shark man blocked a horizontal slash and shoved him back roughly before swinging his blade around and slamming it to the ground hard enough to crack the dojo floor. Absentmindedly, Shirou mentally cringed, reminding himself to get that fixed, while simultaneously feeling relieved that his Servant had held back and not caused too much damage.

"That's the normal speed of any decent ninja who practices with a danto or a ninjato. A Mist Swordsman can redirect and regain control of their swings with any weapon, regardless of size or shape."

"Right." Shirou panted, rather winded at that point.

Three days had passed since Shirou's little episode. Shortly after Shirou had been put to bed and looked over by Rin, his skin had begun whitening, and blood began pouring from his nose, eyes, and ears. Only _extremely _fast and frantic work on Rin's part kept him stabilized, and it had been a long, tense occasion.

Rin, Kisame, and Archer had hung around the Emiya residence for the next day, until Shirou had finally awoken very early on the morning of the second day. Long discussions had followed.

Rin had already deduced that Shirou had an unusually high capacity for Reinforcement, as well as the more complex version known as Gradation Air, also known as Projection; at least as far as his knowledge of it went.

Having discussed what happened with Kisame and Shirou, and having thought the matter over thoroughly, Rin had come to the conclusion that Shirou's potential and, in a way, current skill at Structural Grasp Magecraft and Projection was not only greater than that of most magi, but that his skill in the former was so great as to allow him to understand an object's design to a far greater extent, to the point that he could grasp its entire history, design, and composition; possibly its very soul.

His Projection magecraft, meanwhile, allowed him to input that same information in his Projections, allowing for far greater ones, capable of lasting for a considerably longer than usual amount of time. He did so mainly by adding seven additional steps that allowed for the greater designs. Shirou referred to his advanced ability as Tracing, due to the aria he used, which was "Trace, on." Rin had theorized that Shirou hadn't been able to "grasp" Kubikiribocho's history properly, possibly as a result of not Tracing it in his unique manner properly in the heat of the moment, and it had overwhelmed his untrained mind, leading to his berserker-like actions as the blade controlled him.

Essentially, the blade's history has taken over his mind and wielded itself through Shirou. Rin was befuddled by how Shirou's skills seemed to be developing considerably faster than they apparently had in the past. Strengthening, Reinforcement, Tracing…it was all was slowly getting easier for him.

In the aftermath of Shirou's display with the strange copy of Zabuza's blade, Rin had learned from him of his method of "creating" a magic circuit.

Rin had been…rather disbelieving and annoyed. She'd informed him of the proper way of using magic circuits, and had, after some experimentation, noted that his "switch" had been opened, most likely through what happened with Kubikiriboucho.

She'd later determined that he possessed a total of 27 circuits which, while of relatively high quality, could only process below average levels of prana due to never having used them for so many years. He'd succeeded in opening several of them with the correct method following his first "spar" with Kisame, and was working, slowly and painfully, on opening more.

But even with multiple Magic Circuits opened, it should have taken more time and effort to improve his skills. Rin would ponder the matter often, as she would many other things about Shirou.

Interestingly enough, he seemed to Trace swords, and other melee weapons, with greater ease than other objects, as shown when Shirou Traced a shinai, followed by several knives from his kitchen. His Traced objects were capable of lasting far longer than normal Projected objects, but they were mostly still quite fragile; the traced shinai shattered when Kisame tested it with a very light blow with Samehada. Having opened several of his Magic Circuits, Tracing no longer caused him as much pain as it did before, though it was still present. Kubikiriboucho, on the other hand, caused him almost no pain at all when he Traced it.

Later it was revealed that Fujimura Taiga had come over to check on Shirou since he had missed school. Rin, left with no real options that wouldn't hinder their progress in the war or draw suspicion on them, possibly resulting in the war's secrets becoming known, modified her memories while Kisame hid, leaving Taiga to believe that Shirou was simply sick and had come down with a minor disease, and that Rin was taking care of him after school.

She also implanted a _suggestion_ that Taiga would be off better leaving Shirou in her hands, and that there was no need to visit until he recovered. Shirou was not happy, but accepted it grudgingly since there was nothing he could do, and it would keep Taiga safer.

Sakura had also come over shortly after Taiga had left, but had been sent on her way by Rin, who kept of the story that had been crafted. She had seemed nervous, even for her, but had left with her mind untouched, for reasons Rin did not explain, and because she was much easier to "convince" to stay away than Taiga would ever be. That had been obvious to Rin even without having the same relationship with the other two women that Shirou did. Sakura had been allowed to see Shirou, as Rin could not make it seem like he was contagious, as therefore she would have no explanation for her continued presence. The plum-haired girl had left with an almost frightened air about her after seeing Shirou. She had not been by since. But in school, she would often be lost in thought, and constantly nervous.

After Shirou's unique skill had been analyzed and revealed to him, and he'd recovered enough with assistance from Rin, as well as Kisame and Samehada, he and his Servant had begun training immediately, at Shirou's insistence. Kisame supplied Shirou with prana from Samehada at times to keep him from getting too exhausted, as well as heal any wounds he incurred.

Rin felt incredulity at his desire to be able to fight Servants. Though she acknowledged, somewhat begrudgingly, that he did have potential, and his style of magecraft had incredible possibilities.

Kisame, meanwhile, certainly wasn't against beating his Master around to make him stronger.

"I never had a genin team before. Most of the potential brats usually died during the graduation exam. Those that survived didn't pass my personal exam." Was all he'd said, grinning in a rather disturbing manner.

Despite how terrifying Kisame could be, under the nervous determination that ran through him when they trained he felt more than a little happy. The feeling of powerlessness he'd felt every time he encountered another Servant…he hated it. He refused to be so weak again, and Kisame was anything but powerless. Thus, he was a more than ideal trainer as far as Shirou was concerned.

Under Kisame, Shirou studied the style of the great sword. It was a style completely foreign to historical swordsmanship due to the strength required to skillfully wield such absurdly large, ungainly weapons; the zanbatou was a more fictional than real weapon in human history. Not so for Kisame's place of origin.

"Keep your steps light but firm! We don't want you to lose your balance simply from walking wrong, now do we?" Kisame smiled dangerously as he slammed his sword against the fake his Master wielded and knocked the redhead back, tumbling, to the floor.

Only very lightly dazed Shirou rolled backward as he fell to get distance and regain his feet, but he was not fast enough as his head came up to eye Samehada's rough skin just to the left of his face.

"Not bad, you moved with that blow pretty well. Work on keeping track of your opponent, though, else you'll get caught off guard and killed." Kisame instructed, a light grin still on his face as he brought his sword up to rest over his shoulder.

"Hahh…Alright."

As they stood back and took a short break, Shirou took the chance to inquire.

"Kisame-san, how am I doing?"

"Eh, not too bad, all things considered. Even most genin would be beaten by you; kind of surprising given your lack of training. You might even be able to stand up to more than a few low or rookie chunin; though most mid to high chunin would take you down, beating you in skill, experience, and physical ability."

"Huh…" Shirou murmured, as they went at it again. As they did, Kisame pondered.

It was quite interesting, training Shirou, At times in their spars, when Kisame's Master seemed to really get into it; it was kind of like fighting a much, much weaker (and less murderous) version of Zabuza himself. And that time when he'd first Traced Kubikiriboucho…It'd almost, _almost _been like he'd been facing the true Demon of the Mist.

"Hah!" shouted Shirou as he went in for an overhead chop, but it was parried easily and he was rewarded with a knock to the head by the hilt of his Servant's blade.

"Smart move, taking advantage of my distraction. But next time, don't let your enemy know you're attacking when they're not paying as much attention as they should."

"Ugh…" was all Shirou let out as he nursed his cranium.

The door to the dojo slid open.

"I see you two are training as hard as ever." commented a certain Master of Archer with a small, amused smile as she entered.

"Tohsaka?"

"What's up?" asked Kisame.

"The runes around the school are getting bolder and more defined. We're running out of time."

"Huh. And we still have no idea as to who Rider's Master is."

For the last few days Rin had been observing the runes around the two allied Masters' school with Archer due to Shirou being out of commission, as far as everyone else knew. That suited the Tohsaka head just fine, though.

"How long do you think we have?" Shirou inquired with a hint of worry.

"Anywhere from tomorrow to three days I would guess. It's difficult to tell. It depends on whether or not Rider has recovered, though chances are she has if she has a proper Master and thus a proper flow of prana. I should have known better than to think that trying to actually capture a Servant would go well."

"My bad, I suppose. Guess I should have realized that things work a bit differently around here. Not to mention I'm not used to working with and protecting people so much weaker than me." Kisame commented with a smirk at the end.

"Well, all I can do now is let Archer keep an eye on things and report to me if Rider shows up again."

Shirou nodded to that as he got up.

"Did you have dinner yet? I'll cook you something." He said as he started towards the house.

"No need Emiya-kun. Tonight's my turn to cook."

"What? You, Tohsaka?"

"Yes, there's no need to trouble yourself."

"You know how to cook?"

Rin's eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips curled into a tiny smile.

"Yes, I do. Surprised?"

"Well, you never really struck me as the kind of person who cooked."

"Right. Just let me handle it, okay Emiya-kun?"

"Wait, but-"

"But what, Emiya-kun?" her smile was radiant, lighting up the room. Her closed eyes indicated innocent curiosity.

Shirou was frightened.

"Aah…alright." He conceded reluctantly, with a touch of nervousness.

Kisame looked on in amusement.

The next day something completely unexpected occurred.

It was shortly before noon and Kisame was running his Master into the dirt (again).

Suddenly the ring of the home phone could be heard and Shirou walked back inside to answer.

"Hello? This is Emiya Residence."

"Ah, Emiya, nice to know you're healthy enough to answer the phone. I was getting worried after hearing you'd gotten ill, if that actually happened. Who'd have thought the first time I finally decided to call you'd answer? Anyway, I'm guessing you're not really sick. So about that witch on the mountain; I noticed that nothing has changed…my, my, I thought you wanted to be a hero?" an oily and snarky voice emitted from the phone.

"Shinji? What do you want?" Shirou asked.

"Aww, how cold…And here I am calling to tell you something."

"…And what is that?"

"It's very important and it has to do with the war, but I haven't had the chance to tell you, what with you being absent. Oh, by the way, is Tohsaka there now? She wasn't in school today either."

Something was wrong. Shinji was breathing harder than normal, and his voice sounded excited, forced even.

"She's out taking care of something." Shirou answered after a few seconds. Rin was at her house doing some research and working on her jewels.

"Perfect timing. Don't tell her about this alright?"

"What? Why?"

Just don't, it's necessary. Now, as two people who care deeply for our city…Let's meet at the school in half an hour so I can tell you what I know. I'll see you then."

"Shinji! Wait-…Damn…"

Shirou hung the phone up slowly and turned to Kisame, who'd sheathed his blade over his back and entered after hearing his Master identify the caller.

"Kisame-san."

"Hmmm?"

"Shinji called me to ask me meet him, but…he sounded odd. The way he phrased it, well…I feel like something bad might happen if I meet him." Shirou was rarely one to think the worst of others, but his relationship with Shinji had been suffering somewhat in recent months, and he'd become slightly more sharp and paranoid after days of witnessing Kisame's life in his dreams, and dealing with his methods of training while awake.

"…Interesting."

Kisame thought for a few seconds.

"Might be fun. And we might get to deal with a problem that could appear later anyways. Either way, I say we go."

Shirou nodded after a few seconds of thought. He turned toward the door to put on his shoes, but paused for a second before going back to his room. After a few minute he came back out with a long pole shaped object covered by white cloth. Kisame didn't need to feel it to know what it was, having seen Shirou wrap it himself. It was his old katana.

"Let's go Kisame-san."

Kisame grinned. "Very well, Shirou-san."

Before leaving Shirou left a voice message for Tohsaka. He could only hope the somewhat behind-the-times magus would be able to get it. In meantime Shirou and Kisame ran towards Homurahara Highschool…the former feeling uneasy all the way.

* * *

><p>"Okay…This is weird, walking around like this when class is in session. Shinji's class is 2-C at the moment, so let's go and see if he's there."<p>

Shirou had arrived at the school wearing a yellow raincoat with a hoodie covering his face to keep people from recognizing him since he was supposed to be sick, with Kisame.

Kisame, walking behind him, ducked a little every so often to keep his head from being visible through the sets of classroom windows. According to Samehada, the prana in runes was more easily felt. It had grown stronger, increased in concentration.

"I'm

Suddenly the world turned crimson. Shirou fell to his knees at the intense pain that rushed through him. It felt as if he was burning away from the inside. Dizziness sprang into his head, his senses became chaotic, and it hurt to breath. His chest burned with every breath that he struggled to get. Red. The color of the essence of life. The color of death.

Than a hand landed on his shoulder, and warmth, different from the heat that suffused him, spread throughout his body, returning strength to his muscles, driving the nausea from him. Shirou panted for a few seconds before standing up shakily, the hand on his shoulder helping him. Everything was functioning normally now, but he could still feel the heat, the slight pressure.

"Hahh…Hahhh…Gahh…What was that?"

"The seal over the school…it seems that a Servant-wait…Samehada can just _barely_ sense it, it's Rider. She must have activated this boundary field. I spread some of my own prana into your body to disrupt the effects and the sensations."

"But why? I thought it wasn't ready yet?" said Shirou as he quickly rushed to the nearest classroom to check the occupants. All of them, students and teacher, were lying around on the floor, or sprawled across their desks, convulsing, but still breathing. But they were slowly being drained and melted into raw prana, their bodies breaking down under the leechlike effect of the boundary field. Suddenly, his hand began to throb. He looked down and saw that his Command Seals were glowing.

"Maybe they accidentally activated it too early or they thought that luring in a Master and a Servant and trapping them was worth not waiting." Kisame muttered, looking down the hallway.

"Lure?" Shirou turned back to his Servant, his eyes widening in realization as he closed the door behind him. "But the one who called me was-"

"Yo Emiya. You look rather pale, maybe you really were sick." A disgustingly amused and familiar voice sounded from across the hall.

Shirou turned to see his one-time good friend Shinji with his arms crossed and an amused, mocking grin on his face.

"Shinji!"

"Wow, you're actually livelier than I thought. So how is it? Does this suit your tastes? I personally find the red shade quite nice."

"So this was your doing! But you're not a Master…Rider couldn't have been your Servant." Shirou said, voice edged with confusion and anger as he tore off his raincoat, dropping it to the ground.

"Huh, you don't look as surprised as I thought you'd be. I guess even you can't believe everything you heart. Oh, and I am a Master, the representative of the Matou family in this 5th Grail War and the Master of Rider." As he spoke the purple haired boy brought out a small red book etched with golden inscriptions from his pocket and held it in one hand.

"But that's impossible, you're not a Magus. How can you be a Master without being a Magus?"

Shinji twitched at the "not a magus comment".

"Ohh? Maybe I was too clever for you all? But regardless, I think I won this round. Emiya. Do you think you can save anyone in this boundary field? No, no you can't. Everyone here besides me will become food for Rider." Said Shinji while his twitch faded with his renewed bravo.

"SHINJI! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! CANCEL THE BOUNDARY FIELD!"

"Ah? That sounds like an order Emiya. Why should I listen to someone so obviously inferior to me? This whole stage is to show you and Tohsaka that I'm superior to you two worthless pieces of trash."

"What?"

Beside Shirou, Kisame was silent and unmoving. He was curious as to how this would play out.

"Not too long ago I offered my help to Tohsaka…I told her the truth, compared to a no-name third rate like you, a descendent of the Noble family of Matou can be far better assistance in the war, but she laughed at me, punched me and told me that I was worthless to her! That I was even less than you! I won't accept that! I am a proud heir of the Matou family and I demand respect!"

"So you're involving innocent people over something so petty?!"

"You dare-You might not have much worth as a magus, but my family has been one of the finest spell casters for centuries! The number of historical achievements and accomplishments we have is something neither you nor your descendants could ever even dream of obtaining even if you worked for a thousand years!"

"Shinji!" Shirou growled, but his show of anger didn't bother his old friend who calmed down.

"Honestly, I didn't want to use this you know, but then Rider had to go and get beaten up by Saber, your Servant. Then it became necessary for negotiation, to keep Tohsaka from attacking me so readily with you. This is your fault Emiya. If it wasn't for you…none of this tragedy would have occurred…Too bad. You killed a lot of good people today Emiya."

"Shinji…You…" Shirou reached for the cloth covered weapon in his hand, but Shinji stopped him.

"I wouldn't try anything, Emiya. And don't even think of having your Servant attack me. It seems you really don't understand your situation clearly. I am the only one that can stop this boundary field. You don't want to let all our dear classmates and teachers die, right? I mean, what will happen to poor Fujimura-sensei?"

Shirou felt a cold sweat roll down his back.

"You…What have you done to Fuji-nee?"

"Well…When I activated this Blood Fort, surprisingly enough, she was still awake and walking under her own power. She clung to me in pain and told me to call for an ambulance. Hahahaha what a model teacher right? Nothing like her usual dumb self, but you know…it was annoying after a while, so I gave her a good kick and she was silent…maybe I shouldn't have kicked the dying dog? Or cat? Muhahahahhaha! Oh come on now Emiya, laugh with me." He sounded at first cheerful, than a tad deranged as he spoke.

Shirou's world froze. For an instant, Shinji's words echoed through his mind. The deep red tint of his vision went darker. His right hand's fingers dug into his palm, almost drawing blood. Shirou was barely aware of his left hand slowly pulling the cloth off the sheathed sword in his right, his gaze never moving from the boy in front of him. Kisame watched with interest. Shinji paused when the blade was revealed.

"And what are you going to do with that?"

"One last chance Shinji…Drop the boundary field."

"You never learn, do you Emiya? Every time you tell me what to do, I feel less like doing so." Shinji sneered.

"Kisame-san, let me handle him. Keep an eye out for Rider." Shirou commanded, his wide, furious gaze locked on Shinji. This had become very personal. Kisame raised an eyebrow, than nodded, his lips twitching up into a smile.

Shirou drew his katana from its sheath in one swift motion and the hammer within him, his trigger, struck. His body heated up as energy filled him; his Magic Circuits active, with a low mutter-

"Trace, on,"

-he charged toward Shinji, his legs and arms Reinforced, pushed to their limits. The thirty five meter gap between them closed; it would disappear in seconds.

"Wh-Fast!" shouted Shinji as he raised the tome in his hand. In response, the shadows in the hallway near him wriggled, undulating swiftly as forms swiftly emerged from them.

Three sharp blades of darkness stretching from the floor to the ceiling sped down the hallway to meet the advancing redhead, followed a second later by a second barrage that covered the spaces the between the first barrage.

Shirou didn't even hesitate. The scythes didn't cover the entire hallway, and were spread out with equal distance between them. Adjusting himself slightly, he passed through the gap between two of the blades, moved to the side slightly, and repeated the process with the second set.

"Ehh?" let out Shinji as his attacks missed, but he quickly launched more of the dark projectiles, this time covering multiple angles, spreading from the sides of hallway as well as the ceiling and floor in a constant, rapid fire barrage of shadowy edges.

Shirou was forced to slow down as he leaped against the wall next to him to pass between two dark lines, and then was forced to duck, than quickly leap over another shadow that sped at him. Time and again he leaped, ducked, slashed, blocked, parried, pivoted, and occasionally stumbled away from shadow after shadow. His blade, a weapon owned by a Servant, was more than adequate.

The shadows came apart with relative ease, scattering each with but a single strike into wisps that quickly dissipated. Some held longer, and forced him to knock them aside or dodge to avoid being hit by others. His advance was slow, very slow. But he was advancing.

Rarely was he forced to step back. The only reason he hadn't already reached Shinji was due to the sheer number of the dark blades, speeding down the hallway incessantly.

Shinji had long since lost his smug countenance and had begun to slowly back away, fear suffusing him.

"This can't be; n-no way, this…this is just EMIYA!" Shinji muttered, voice filling with hysteria. He'd known that Shirou likely had a strong Servant after learning of how Rider was defeated by Saber, but he'd never even dreamed that the shark man's MASTER would be strong too!

"Shinji!" Shirou shouted as he twisted around in a full circle while slashing away two more projectiles. He balanced the katana in a reverse grip as he had been taught and dashed forward with his head low, back curved, and hands outstretched behind him to prevent air resistance. He was upon Shinji in the blink of an eye.

"THIS IS ONLY EMIYA!" Shinji shrieked as a claw of shadows surpassing the previous ones in size appeared in response to his will, his desire to remove the pathetic, annoying upstart before him. It lunged at Shirou, nearly filling up the hallway between the two Masters. Shirou could not dodge it

"SHINJI!" shouted Shirou as he switched his katana to face forward with a flick of his wrist, turning sharply and slicing at Shinji's attack. Shadow and steel met with a clang, and unlike the others, the shadow wasn't dispersed. Shirou gritted his teeth as the dark appendage pressed against him, digging his feet into the floor as the sharp fingers sought him, pushing him back inch by inch.

"RaaaaaHHHHH!" the redhead roared, pushing with all his might, he shoved the claw aside. It sped past him at a slight angle and burst through the wall, flying off before it quickly dissipated as it met the invisible boundary of Rider's Blood Fort. Shirou's gaze returned to Shinji, who stood a meter before him gaping, sweat pouring off him, eyes bulging, incoherent sounds emerging from his mouth.

"Hahhh!" Shirou came in for a diagonal slash from bottom to top of Shinji's chest. He didn't plan to kill Shinji, merely injure him enough so that he would submit.

Unknown even to Kisame, the blade that he used to take the lives of his fellow Cypher Corps members was empowered in his legend. Though not a Noble Phantasm, it was capable of increasing its sharpness when used on someone considered in any way a comrade. The blade now sheened, a paper thin aura gathering over it, sharpening its edge considerably.

An enemy Shinji may be. His death Shirou might have no tears over. But he was still considered an old, fading friend in the recesses of his mind. And that was enough.

The refined edge neared the fabric of Shinji's jacket uniform.

"KYAAHHHAAAA! RIDER! SAVE ME!" the purple haired boy cried, stepping back in terror despite the futility of the action.

A black and purple blur fazed appeared in front of Shirou, knocking aside his blade with a deft twirl of a long iron chain adorned with nails at both ends.

Shirou's eyes widened. He didn't even have time to blink before a sharp, pointy stake was rushing towards his face at speeds he couldn't even react to, could barely even glimpse, much less block.

Then the redheaded magus found himself being hauled backwards by a firm grip on his collar even as his vision was filled by a mass of white bandages before he found himself landing on the floor, skidding slightly.

The bandages shifted as the sword they covered was twisted, its lower edge coming up, pushing the dagger pressing against it up before the blade was swung at Rider.

The purple-haired Servant leaped backwards while bending back, the sword travelling an inch above her face as her gaze turned skyward, before continuing on to smash through the classroom wall on the side with a great crash, ripping apart the entire wall well beyond where he struck even as Rider completed her back flip and landed on all fours with her hair falling over her shoulders in multiple long strands, the ends spread around her hands on the ground, her fingers curled slightly, her knees slightly bent.

Several meters behind her lay Shinji, who had scuttled back as Rider intercepted Shirou, only to be knocked onto his rear by the force of the opposing Servant's strike. She crouched, a serpent poised to strike at the shark that dared intrude in her domain and deny her her prey.

"My, my, it's been a while, Rider-san."

"Saber…"

"My Master seems to have unfinished business with yours…So as adults why not let the kids solve this one on their own." Kisame suggested, grinning as the long haired Servant burst towards his side while sending one of her stakes lancing at Shirou, who still lay on the floor.

Kisame swept it aside with Samehada, only to duck as the Servant of the Steed kicked at his head, before jerking aside as she followed up with a thrust from the other stake in her hand. Refusing to give her another shot at him, he swept his Great Sword Samehade at her from his left side. Rider barely dodged as she twisted and kicked off the undestroyed portion of the wall, dust and debris sweeping around her as the hole was violently enlarged by her opponent.

Shirou quickly leapt to his feet. "Kisame-san, be careful! There are still people inside the school, you could kill someone!" he quickly glanced inside the room which now lacked a side, and was relieved to see that no one appeared to be injured by the Servants' clash, with the worst being some covered in dust and tiny bits of debris.

"Tch, I hate having to hold back. Get that punk and force him to make Rider drop the boundary field while I play some more with Rider-san."

Shirou nodded, complete confident in his Servant's ability to handle Rider. Kisame charged at the voluptuous Servant and swung at her, while Shirou burst forward as soon as he realized that the shark man had moved.

As he passed by the battling warriors, one of Rider's daggers was launched at him, but it quickly jerked back as Rider was forced to evade another strike from Kisame, pulling the chain and the blade at its end along with her. Shirou swept past them, unharmed, as he gave chase to Shinji, who had taken off as the Servants began fighting and had just barged through the doors on the end of the hallway. His path no longer blocked, Shirou charged after him.

"Heh, we've got a time limit now. I'd best make the most of this before my Master catches yours." grinned the shark man. "Of course…Based on my experiences in this war," he ducked and leaped back, before gripping Samehada with both hands and readying himself, "kids like my Master like to solve their problems with fists, blades, and deadly magecraft. They grow up so fast, don't you agree?" he leapt at his opponent, bandaged sword swinging forward.

* * *

><p>A chase! A chase of death! A prey and the hunter! This chase is not a slow, stalking hunt. This is a chase of a mountain wolve, aiming to tear a lowly street mutt into pieces.<p>

Shirou rushed after Shinji, brushing past the double doors and sending them into the doorstop with such force that the bottoms of the doors were dented. He cared not. His focus was entirely on his target, who was sending back shadow after shadow as he fled in an effort to slow him down. This barrage was more dispersed than the previous one, and slowed him down less. Shinji was still rather fast for someone with no magecraft, and wasn't even a magus at all. The benefits of self-preservation and sheer terror.

...Even a trash like Shinji can run like the wind if a guy is chasing him with a katana.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DON'T COME NEAR ME! RIDER! WHERE ARE YOU RIDER?!"

* * *

><p>Rider jumped away from the blue skinned man after ducking under a swing from the side, flipping over and hurling a nail at Kisame. He deflected it aside with a swing, but Rider tugged her chain and the chain was twisted, the stake whipping back toward the Saber class Servant's head from the side.<p>

It was only years of sparring with a partner who consistently used shurikenjutsu in absurdly deadly, precise, and efficient ways that allowed him to dodge without injury. Twisting his head, the dagger breezed past him even as he charged forward. Rider's chains twirled, and Kisame belatedly noticed the links of metal slithering over the floor before they sprang up to encircle and attempt to bind his legs.

A very quick Kawarimi replaced him with a piece of the wall he'd demolished, even as the tight chains crunched the debris apart. Rider didn't stop to indulge in disappointment, and sped towards him, chains rippling about her, both daggers in hand.

Kisame frowned. This was very annoying. He couldn't strike with his full force, or use the vast majority of his jutsu, because of the risk of harming the incapacitated people in the school. And because he couldn't just ignore collateral damage, he was forced to limit himself based on his battlefield, and in the small corridor, that was working against him with his typical manner of fighting, and his large sword. And the agile Rider, with her slippery weapon, was taking full advantage of that.

Many times in their fight she'd struck from near the walls of the classrooms and the few foundations nearby, forcing him watch himself, lest he cause more damage or harm the students or faculty. He'd rarely had had to worry about collateral damage while alive, save on the occasional assassination mission, which Itachi usually handled. He really wasn't used to this at all; especially given his greater abilities as a Servant made him that much more hazardous on the environment.

There was nothing he could do but keep fighting though. At least this wasn't boring. His grin returned.

He advanced on Rider and they clashed again. Rider rarely stayed in one place, dancing around in a masterful display of acrobatics, launching short, fast strikes before darting away or around, never taking him head on, often times attacking from one direction with one of her stakes and another with either kicks or the other stake. There fight consisted of dozens of sharp little bouts before one broke off, paused for a moment, before one of them darted back in. It was generally Rider who backed off.

Blocking a kick with Samehada, Kisame leapt back. "Right then." He muttered, swinging his blade under his arm and making a hand seal, with his index and middle fingers pressed against each other pointing up, his thumbs pressed against his index fingers, and the rest of the digits crossed over each other.

"SUITON!"

Rider's chains spiraled towards him, dagger first. Kisame's blade was quickly swung back into his hand to block, but then she darted to his front while a deft maneuver of her arms spun the chains around to circle and ensnare his greatsword, and with a firm tug, Kisame was pulled forward, off balance, his grip on his blade slackened. Rider didn't hesitate; she leaped, pulling her chain yet again against him to counter-balance her as with a quick movement she spun around to plant a kick right into Kisame's throat.

Kisame hacked with a sharp cry for an instant as he was forced back, before dissolving into liquid that pooled around Rider as she landed.

"Water body double." Rider muttered with no hint of surprise, before tensing at the shadow cast from behind her.

"Heh!" Kisame smirked as he slammed his sword down at the nimble woman from behind, but Rider leaped forward onto her hands, handspringing once as she crossed fifteen meters with a single movement and flipped over to face her opponent, who hadn't bothered to pursue her. She landed in a crouch, and regarded her opponent with a neutral gaze.

_"__HHHHH! DON'T COME NEAR ME! RIDER! WHERE ARE YOU RIDER?!" _

"…Tsk." Let out Rider.

"Don't even bother…" Kisame stated. "You reacted well. But Rider-san, it doesn't really matter at this point. I might not be able to kill you quickly, but since my Master, who was trained by yours truly, is chasing after yours, who's already shown that he isn't a match for him, the outcome of this fight is already obvious. My Master will catch yours and then, one way or another, it's over."

Kisame pointed the tip of Samehada at Rider and narrowed his eyes.

"It's a pity too. This is actually rather new to me, fighting with these restrictions. A real test, you might say. Sharks, from the very beginning, grow stronger through challenge after challenge throughout their vicious lives. This will soon be just another example of that. Albeit a fun one." His smirk grew wider.

"…Is that so? You identify yourself with sharks, then? It seems that this truly is a battle of two monsters. How ironic that we might meet in this war of heroes." The voluptuous Servant said lowly, her lips curving up near the end of her statement, before her expression became blank again and she leaped towards Kisame, the air rippling and screaming around her passage. The shark man met her head on, sword raised.

In the blink of an eye, Rider once again launched a stake at Kisame, chain speeding along with it. This time he simply sidestepped, allowing it to zoom past him. Rider, meanwhile, kicked off the ceiling, her hands becoming claws as scales once again adorned her flesh, landing in a crouch just in front of the charging Servant of the sword, who was already swinging at her. But even before she'd landed, Rider had already pulled back on her chain, bringing the thrown stake back to strike at Kisame's back.

The shark man, realizing the danger, stopped in mid-swing and swiftly brought his blade around to cover his back even as he kicked at the Servant before him. A quick jerk of her left hand brought the rest of the chain near her to wrap around the leg, and she pulled hard, upending the tall Servant who fell with a startled yell. A quick leap brought her over the downed Servant, and she deftly caught the returning dagger originally bound for her enemy's back, bringing it down to embed it into the top of the unoccupied blue fist that swung at her, nailing it to the floor.

Even as he gave a short, pained grunt, she was flipping over him to kick hard at the other hand, which was swinging the blade it held down at her, forcing it to dislodge the sentient weapon it held. As Samehada fell, another spin brought her foot hard into contact with it as she kicked it away, sending it flying down the hallway and clean through a window, while her other leg, in a stunning display of flexibility, slammed into the bottom of Kisame's head, snapping it back.

Landing with her legs straddling him, she suddenly rose quickly, a quick jerk of her arms tugging the stake previously imbedded in Kisame's left hand back. _Previously imbedded _because-

"RAAAH!" Kisame had ripped his hand free of the offending dagger, heedless of the utter ruin it made of his hand, which was now little more than two bloody, ragged pieces of flesh.

Kisame roared as he smashed his ruined hand into Rider's cheek in a backhand, smacking her face away with a loud snap; the split second it took him to free his hand gave her enough time to lean back slightly and reduce the force of the blow, leaving behind a red smudge and a light bruise.

"I'll KILL YOU!"

"You can try, but a punch that light won't help you achieve that." Rider chimed as she spun in mid-air and kicked Kisame directly in the face with such force that a light shockwave was dispersed around it. Kisame's head snapped back.

Rider landed only to feel something holding foot. "What?" she questioned. The heel of her boot was stuck between Kisame's jaws.

"Tsk!" Rider spat out as an usual scene greeted her...The shark man actually caught her neck snapping, bone shattering, wall breaking kick with his mouth!

"Gouuchhaa!" Kisame growled out with a boot in his mouth. His sharp teeth that can sever through any metal was grinding against the boot, ready to chomp it in two, with Rider's foot in it.

"HAhh!"

With a sharp 'ki-hai' Rider ripped her foot away, part of her boot getting torn off by the shark man's sharp teeth as they bit down, but her foot escaped injury.

"How ridiculous." She muttered as Kisame spat the material out.

"…I once fought a man that was so fast that he left shockwaves behind him…With body forged out of bond between humans…with only that he caused shockwaves with his fists and tempest with his kicks…Compare to his speed…Compare to his kicks…YOUR KICKS ARE TOO LIGHT TO BEAT ME! ONNAAA(Woman)!" Kisame roared as he posed to fight regardless of being unarmed.

But the man is a shinobi…Their very body is a weapon.

In lightning flash slapped his ahnds together to perform a Suiton style to wash Rider away for good. However the wound that was worsen by his own attempt to escape made it a real torn mess. Even a simple hand seal of putting ones hands together failed, because the pinky and the ring fingers on one side was loose and nearly falling apart.

"Shimata!" Kisame let out as his failure brought Rider enough time to counter attack.

With a few sharp motions, Rider swiftly and deftly bound Kisame's injured arm tightly against his chest before binding the rest of him.

"Nani? Kusari jutsu? Of all the foolish tricks..." growled Kisame, but Rider is far more swifter than the larger ninja as the chain was tighten on him.

She then with peerless skill, woven the chains around his individual fingers to prevent any more hand sealing.

"With this your troublesome water magecraft will be sealed." Said Rider as she continued to chain up the enraged Kisame as he was not fast enough to prevent the chains from hooking around his arms and armpit, and then the legs and thighs. However Kisame was able to keep his remaining hand free from the chain by punching or knocking the chains aside.

"Tsk!...Something like this can't hold me! Not even the Mokuton user could hold me!" .

He tried to use his free hand to undo the chain, but Rider took that option out of the window by displaying impressive strength that she achieved through 'Monstous Strengh.'

"Servant Saber…This is the end!" she declared as she heaved and swung the bound Saber around the small hallway, smashing him through the wall as she pulled Saber toward her and prepared to bury her nail into his heart to finish him off.

"...Damn it..."

But a hero arrives on the last and most critical moment...even a failure of a hero.

The sound of glass shattering, a red blur, and multiple gleams of light at the other end of the hallway, her captured target almost obscuring them in her vision, were her only warnings as she was forced to release her chain and jump back, leaping, twisting, and spinning around as she dodged the incoming projectiles, which she quickly realized were arrows. Kisame smashed through the wall, soaring for a second before falling and landing on the ground with a pained and angry exclamation.

Suddenly the barrage stopped. Unknown to Rider, the arrows fired at her were in fact Projected and Altered swords from her new opponent's inner soul. As such, at his will, they dissolved into nothingness, the same state they came from. Her new opponent shared similar compunctions to Shirou, though they were considerably less intense, and it was more due to his Master's order that he did so, so as to not harm any bystanders.

Rider took him in with her eyes. Bronze skin covered by form-fitting black armor, over which lay a long red overcoat. Somewhat spiky white hair. Hard gray eyes in which lay the soul-crushing weight of a failed dream and ideal beaten in time after time, and the strength of a warrior who had time and again fought beings stronger than him, and overcame them through sheer skill, fractured but weathered determination, and by creating that which was greater than them. Wasting no time with words, Archer charged, twin black and white dao in hand.

Rider back flipped over the first strikes, and continued to retreat as the twin swords sought her death, sidestepping a downward slash from Kanshou before hastily leaping up and kicking off the ceiling to land on her feet as Bakuya was instantly swung at her in a follow up strike. She grimaced; she had not dodged completely, and felt a twinge of pain from the small injury that now adorned her stomach. She danced backwards as Archer followed and strike after strike flew at her, and cuts began to slowly adorn her form.

Archer was neither as strong nor as fast as Saber, but he was nowhere near as hindered by their current battlefield. That combined with her currently being weaponless and having expended prana that had yet to be made up for by what she collected from the people trapped within the Blood Fort, meant that she was outmatched. And while she could call it to her hands in an instant, that would mean freeing Saber, who, even injured, would still be a threat , and defeat would be inevitable if he joined the red knight against her.

Logic demanded that she retreat, but it was likely Archer would pursue her, and while she could probably still outrun him, she would have to pick up Shinji, which would slow her down, and protecting him would be a burden that would further hinder her; and even if she could still avoid Archer's blades he might very well kill her at range with his bow. She had one option in her current situation that might still allow her to win, but the only manner in which she could achieve it was…unpleasant. Still, needs must.

Rider kicked at her foe's leg, than turned and fled even as he pivoted to avoid it and prepared to strike at her. He pursued immediately, but she had gained enough distance in that brief moment of opportunity. Still running, she brought her clawed fingers to her neck and, with a single, violent motion, ripped them across, slashing her throat open in a jagged tear and splattering blood all over the walls and floor even as she spun around to face her fellow Servant, standing almost next to the stairwell. Archer stopped abruptly at the surprising sight. Even for a Servant, to give oneself such a wound is suicidal. Than his eyes widened as faint, partial, fractured memories from the pages of his past sprang to the front of his mind. "Shit." He resumed his charge. Eighteen meters now lay between them. He could cross it in less than an instant.

But it was too late. He wouldn't make it in time. Stirrings of ancient power resounded throughout the hallway as the blood collected in front of Rider, swirling and coalescing into a more tangible form.

Archer knew what was coming. He'd seen only fractured images, but he saw enough to put the pieces together. Dismissing Bakuya, his mind instantly sought out the existence of a sword within his armory. He barely had to even think before it came to his mind. Running through the necessary steps, he Altered structure of his weapon, leaving it with a series of deep, jagged cracks from one side of the blade to the other near the hilt, a terribly weakened section. Even as he brought it up, his other hand brought Kanshou down to slice through the weakened portion, severing it in two and leaving him with less than half of the original blade.

In the meantime, Rider's blood had formed into a magic circle that resonated with magical energy. The circle took the form of a crimson pentagram with what looked to be some form of arachnid in the center.

* * *

><p>Nine meters now lay between the two Servants. To the average observer no passage of time would have registered to their far inferior senses.<p>

"GAH! To think that this of all things would happen!" Kisame complained as he struggled against the chain. "Heh, I suppose I owe that Archer. At least I have more opportunities to fight now; after all, things have been getting interesting." he mused with only a small hint of irritation despite being enchained, almost helpless, with one mangled hand as he wriggled on his side on the ground before the school.

"Then again, I don't think he would have wept too many tears if any of his shots struck me rather than Rider. Although, I didn't sense any intent to kill me this time. An interesting improvement at least." He grinned.

Still, despite his relatively casual attitude, he had yet to find to way to escape his current predicament. Kawarimi didn't work, the chakra building up but not dispersing from his body. The chains seemed to prevent it from doing so where they encircled his form, he could practically feel the chakra pressing against the chains before fading back into his body. It was the same for the Shunshin.

"At this rate, it'll be over by the time I get…heh. Took you long enough."

"Gigigigigigigigi!"

* * *

><p>With one practiced motion, Archer's arms crossed, than swept out fast, hurling both swords at his opponent. Instantly afterwards, Kanshou and another copy of Bakuya were Projected into his hands, the latter just after the former. At five meters away, the chances of his thrown blades making contact were high. If Rider hadn't had her eyes fixed on him she'd probably have been struck. As it was, it was fairly easy to rapidly shift her body away from the swords' flight path, allowing them to harmlessly pass through the magic circle even as the orb in its center lit up to reveal a glowing eye-<p>

Except…there actually was no eye. There should have been, she had practically already seen it in her mind even before its appearance. But it was not there. And the magic circle…was gone.

Behind her, Kubikiriboucho, its blade now around half of its original length as small streams of blood flowed into it, flew on, later to dissolve into nothingness. The copy of Bakuya, however, slowed to a halt, still rapidly rotating before angling down slightly and spinning back towards its partner on the other side of Rider.

Completely stunned, Rider hesitated for too long. Archer was upon her, his twin dao swinging.

Rider barely snapped out of her shock in time to move, leaping backwards, twisting her body and bringing her left arm up before her-

And the first Bakuya ripped into her shoulder from behind.

The shock, pain, and force of the blade nearly halted her retreat, and as it sliced through her flesh, the red knight's own pair of dao separated her arm in two places, and slashed a horrific gash into her side from which blood erupted even as Rider's entire left limb fell off as it was separated from the shoulder by the unexpected weapon from behind.

"Gaah!" Rider gave a short, pained shriek, blood pooling from her mouth, paling in comparison to that all around her. The severed limb fell to the floor with a squelch even as Archer swept his blades back in to strike…nothing?

Rider had disappeared. Dematerialized. Archer's eyes filled with confusion for all of half a second before they widened in realization.

"Damn it!" he grunted, taking off down the hallway.

* * *

><p>Shinji was now cornered. His breath was up in his throat, his legs and chest burned, and his heart pummeled against his chest as his all out sprint and screaming exhausted him. Fueled by fear, he'd dashed all the way down the hallway and down the stairs, firing off shadow after shadow at his pursuer who steadily grew closer and closer. Now, on the second floor, at the end of the hallway, he stood, hands on his knees, too tired to run any further as his redheaded fellow Master approached.<p>

"E-Emiya, let's talk about this!"

But his old friend gave no response and marched steadily towards him with his katana in hand. The katana glowed red as the bloodlust of killing one's friends empowered the blade to effect the welder's mindset.**  
><strong>  
>"Ahhhhh! EMIYA! DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Shinji backed away on unsteady legs as his fear increased yet again. This was not the novice magus he'd expected when he called him here. Shirou was completely, deadly serious. An eerie light reflected off of the katana he carried.<p>

"Rider! What are you doing Rider?!" he yelled out in fear, but his Servant was nowhere in sight.

Shinji began to raise his book to use his shadows again, but he was nowhere near fast enough as Shirou blurred forward. His sword swung, carving through the wrist of the hand that held the tome, sending the limb-and blood- flying.

"AHHHGGAAAHHH! Shinji shrieked, clutching at the stump of his hand, face contorted with pain and rage.

"EMIYA!" Shinji roared, but his bravado was rewarded with a fist slamming into his face from the angry swordsman. He was slammed backwards against the wall, a dark bruise on his cheek that was darkening quickly while blood dribbled out of his mouth. Shirou then grabbed Shinji's neck and brought him up to eyelevel.

"Drop this boundary field now, Shinji." Shirou demanded; narrow, golden eyes bright with restrained fury glaring into Shinji's own as their owner recalled, vividly, what the boy he held in his grip had done.

"Give me a break. Why should I liste-?" Shinji weakly began to say, spitting out a drop of blood, before Shirou's hand tightened around his neck, cutting him off. Shirou then threw him to the ground harshly and stomped on the stump of his hand, causing blood to spurt out and making Shinji howl and writhe with pain.  
>"Because if you don't," Shirou whispered, picking him up by his hair and slamming him against the wall, knocking his head against it, eliciting a cry of pain from him. Shirou's other hand came up, the blade it carried passing clearly into Shinji's vision, before resting against Shinji's neck. "I'll kill you." He finished, his voice filled with deadly intent.<br>Shinji stared at his onetime friend. This wasn't Shirou. After all that had happened, Shinji truly believed that Shirou actually could and would carry out what he'd said. He was speechless with shock and terror that had been building up steadily since Shirou first defied his beliefs by brushing through his shadows.

Shirou quickly grew tired of waiting. "Did you hear me? I said-" he dug the tip of the blade just a tad into Shinji's neck, and blood began to run down his skin. Shinji gave a short yelp "-Drop the bou-"

A hand clamped down on his sword arm and hurled him away, and he went flying through a window. Stunned, Shirou couldn't react in time as he plummeted. Even with his Reinforced limbs, the impact would likely cause heavy injuries.

Than he made abrupt contact with a large blue arm in a cloak, roughly bringing him to a stop.

"Careful there, Shirou-san."

Shirou blinked, than glanced up even as his rescuer landed on the ground.

A familiar face grinned down at him.

"Kisame-san! How did you get outside?"

Kisame's grin became slightly rueful as his mouth opened to answer as he set his Master on his own feet, when the sound of glass shattering drew their attention and they turned to see multiple black bolts shooting after a purple, black, and brown blur, followed soon after by a barrage of far faster arrows which, amazingly, the distant target seemed to evade before disappearing among the buildings, at which point the arrows ceased to rain down.

"Rider! And Shinji! We can't let them get aw-"  
>Than the crimson boundary field, which had covered the entire school, simply evaporated, disappearing as if it was never there.<p>

"-ay?"

Kisame nodded thoughtfully. "Looks like she dropped the field as she left."

"That's a relief. Still, I wonder why she fled."

"I imagine Archer had something to do with that."

"Archer?" Shirou said, surprised.

"Yeah, he showed up right on time. Looks like he did quite the number on Rider."  
>Shirou was more than a little surprised. From the way Kisame talked, it suggested that Rider had been winning against him. The idea that Kisame, who had always seemed so unstoppable, even after being smashed away by Berserker, could come close to being truly defeated, or killed, was rather hard to conceive.<p>

His thoughts must have shown on his face because Kisame spoke up. "Hey, it was bad luck. Bad place to fight and too many handicaps. Next time, I'LL control the battlefield."

Shirou was struck by the sheer confidence in Kisame's tone. His typical smirk hadn't faded in the slightest. Spirits revived, Shirou nodded, before a thought struck him.

"Wait, how _did _you end up out here, and you mentioned something about your hand?"

"I was caught off guard, what with all the handicaps, and Rider tangled me up and hurled me out. She impaled my hand to the floor, but I ripped it out to swing at her. Hurt like hell, I'll admit. When I was trapped the chains stopped me from using some jutsu suited for escaping. Fortunately, Samehada came along, and I was able to use it as a conduit to release my chakra and perform Kawarimi, as well as heal my hand. Not sure it would've worked if it wasn't for what those chains did. Something to think about, I suppose." He trailed off, face becoming slightly contemplative, before his eyes fixed on Shirou's. "So, that's that. How'd you fare against that punk?"

Shirou thought back to his fight "He used these shadows to attack me. But with your sword, they were easy enough to dodge or destroy. It was just that there were so many of them, it took a while to get to him." Shirou's fists clenched "I had him…Next time, he won't get away."

Kisame grinned. "I have no doubt of that, Shirou-san."

"Looks like you're both alright." Both men turned and spotted Rin as she walked towards them, school uniform on, her Servant walking behind her, arms at his sides.

"Tohsaka! When did you get here?" Shirou inquired

Rin flipped a lock of her hair out of her face "Oh, about five minutes ago, give or take. We realized what was going on and rushed over. We saw Saber's fight with Rider, so I sent Archer to deal with her while I tracked down Shinji. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop her from throwing you out like that. Still, looks like you're alright, so I suppose it doesn't matter. Than Archer arrived and Rider fled."

"Heh, I suppose I owe you, Archer-san. From what I saw, it looks like you did quite a number on Rider."

A smirk, only slightly sardonic, lit upon Archer's face. "Best that you be prepared for any sort of battlefield. In this war, in this city, it can be anywhere, at any time, under any sort of circumstances."

Kisame's grin widened, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Right then" Rin spoke up. "I called Kirei, he'll take care of everything. From what I saw, and what we discussed, while quite a few students and some faculty were taken to the hospital, no one was in mortal danger. They're all being treated for malnutrition, and should be out in a few days."

Shirou felt relief spread through his entire being as he relaxed; only now noticing that he had still been tense.

"Kirei will handle the repairs and the necessary memory wipes, and anything else he has to handle to keep the war secret." Rin continued.

Shirou spoke up than. "That's good…so what about Rider?"

"Well, she was very heavily wounded. She lost her arm, part of her shoulder, had one nasty slice at her side, and a handful of other minor injuries." Rin replied. "She'll probably be out of action for quite some time."

"We have to finish this." Shirou stated, eyes narrowing.

Rin blinked, Archer raised an eyebrow, and Kisame eyed his Master.

"We can't let something like this happen again. Shinji's…not entirely stable. Who knows what he'll do next. I think we should go after them. They'll probably go back to the Matou mansion; we can attack them there. Sakura…Actually, Sakura hasn't been over in a while. She'll probably be there." Shirou didn't notice Rin give a minute twitch at the other girl's name. Archer did, as did Kisame, but only the former understood its significance. "If she is, well, Shinji might be taking his frustration out on her! He's definitely hit her before. We can get her out, and deal with Shinji and Rider."

Rin was silent for several long moments, before she glanced at her Servant. "Archer? What do you think?"

The red clad Servant crossed his arms. "Rider's wounds are significant. It's not impossible for her to recover, but even assisted by any modern magecraft, she likely won't have fully recovered for days. It's not a bad idea to strike while she's vulnerable."

Rin sighed. "Alright. Give me some time to prepare, though."

"Right. How about we meet at my house this evening?"

"We'll do that. See you then, Emiya-kun."

Kisame remained silent. He liked the way things were going.

* * *

><p>"What the hell?" Shirou said.<p>

The team had met at his house, as planned, than headed off as the sun began to set. They had reached the Matou mansion, only to find it looking like the remnants of a battle. Holes were torn in the great house, countless windows shattered, and debris littered the ground.

"Another Servant, perhaps?" suggested Kisame.

"Quite possibly." Agreed Rin. "Considering Rider was probably here, only a Servant could likely have been willing to attack and done such damage, even if Rider was injured."

After a quick discussion, they found themselves cautiously moving into the house. Rin determined that there was some sort of barrier around the property, one designed to prevent non-supernatural beings, including non-magi, from noticing the damage, and possibly the use of magecraft. A quick look around found only more destruction. While the outside looked like a heavy story and a short artillery barrage had fallen upon the house, the inside looked like both a storm and a pack of wild animals had around. It was quiet. Dangerously quiet. Tension was building quickly among the Masters, and to a much lesser extent the Servants, despite the apparent lack of danger. It was an instinctive feeling, like that of an animal being hunted by a predator, unable to sense it, but knowing it's there.

"Help me"

Both Shirou and Rin jumped slightly at the soft voice that despite barely registering to them echoed through their minds; its illusiveness only adding to the creepiness of the situation. The two Masters glanced around, but saw nothing.

"Please help"

This time they were not as surprised, but the soft voice, in the complete and utter unnatural silence of the house, sent a shiver down their spines. They both determined where the voice was coming from. It appeared to be the living room. Both moved to the door leading to it, their Servants already entering, their unease growing despite the presence of Archer and Kisame.

The room had suffered relatively moderate damage compared to the rest of the house. There were multiple cracks, fractures, and small chips and holes of varying size on one of the walls, and a couch had a small section of it barely hanging on to it, and there was a single gaping hole in another wall that exposed the room to the outside.

And there lying face down on the floor on the other side was Shinji Matou.

"Help" came from him.

Despite the events from earlier, Shirou's first instinct was to help someone he knew was in need, and rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside Shinji.

"Emiya-kun, don't be so reckless!" Rin berated, raising a hand towards him.

"She's got a point Shirou-san." Kisame chimed in, taking a longer look around.

Shirou ignored both as he rolled Shinji over.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, Archer spotted something they didn't, and his eyes widened.

Shirou's did as well, only for a different reason.

Shinji's eyes were glossy milk white and glazed over. Blood was dribbling from his mouth, which hung open lifelessly.

Suddenly, reddish-orange inscriptions spread all over the boy's body, originating from his chest. Some of them split in two, forming new lines that followed different paths. And as they ran across the flesh, blood spilled on their sides as if knives were slicing Shinji apart. In barely a second most of the corpse was covered-

"Move, dammit!"

-and the horrific parody of artwork spontaneously swelled up like an ugly balloon.

A vibrant, pulsating pillar of roseate energy burst through the roof of the Matou mansion and ascended into the heavens, vaporizing a small section of the house and sending fierce gales of wind billowing outside.

On the hindsight, Kisame should have realized that the swelling body was a bomb…after all he used to know a certain nutcase of an artist with love for a good boom!

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**Well that's it! Shinji goes boom...Deidera would have been proud. You know, someone should do a fic with that guy as a Rider. It would be a real 'bang!'**

**Shirou is not as weak as he is in original work, but he is not ready for anything too tense. NExt chapter I am planning to pull out some more ninjutsu or something more clever.**

**The fight scene where Archer showed up and most of the parts from after that was revised or completely done by Eva-Saiyajin, compare to my original intension, this one was much better.**

**I really hope that I can update more an once a month...But betaing is important. I don;t want to update a chapter filled with grammar mistakes after all.**

**Please review this chapter and thank you for your attention.**


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